We'll Make the Rules as we go
by BaronessBlixen
Summary: When Niles and Roz start dating, Daphne finds herself feeling... jealous? AU after "Decoys". Niles/Roz/Daphne. Rating just to be safe.
1. Prolog

We'll Make the Rules as we go

A/N: I hope you give this story a chance. If I had to categorize it, I'd say it's Niles/Roz/Daphne. There once was a very promising story about niles and Roz dating after "Decoys". Unfortunately, it was never finished. My story is probably inspired by it, but I hope the author doesn't feel like I stole anyting. I just wanted to write something different for a change.

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His first thought was how soft her lips were. They made him forget about Daphne; he knew her lips as well, but as he kissed Roz he could no longer recall what hers had felt like. His eyes were shut tightly. He didn't want to see who he was kissing, because seriously, it was ridiculous. The whole plan had been one stupid idea. Yet, as he kissed her, as he felt her tongue slip into his mouth he couldn't help but feel… couldn't help but _feel_ something.

„Daphne!" Her name brought him back to reality. Suddenly Roz was heavy in his arms and she felt wrong there. His heart called out for Daphne, the woman he had done all of this for. As so often, she didn't have eyes for him. She only saw Donny. What was it about him? Both Roz and Daphne seemed to have a thing for him and Niles just couldn't see it. There was nothing special about this small lawyer with the curly hair. In all of this, Daphne didn't look at him twice. He had become a bystander in her life. Nothing more than a stranger one says hello to. He thought they were at least friends. As he watched the happy couple leave to spend their first night together, his heart broke into a million pieces.

„That worked out well." Roz complained after everyone was finally gone. The house seemed particularly quiet; as if someone had died recently. Niles felt all the energy leave his body and he had to sit down.

"I can't- she left with him."

"Did you really think this would work?" Roz had gone with Niles' plan, because a small part of her had believed he could do it. She had wanted to believe it, because it would have been like a fairy tale. Donny and her, reunited and with a baby. A family. Yes, Roz couldn't deny that she had wanted to believe. But there had been another reason: Niles. The way his eyes sparkled when he talked about Daphne was a beautiful sight (not that she would ever tell him that). Roz had wanted him to have this, too. Two happy couples in love. She should have known better. She did know better.

"I-I… yes." Niles hung his head, almost in shame. He had truly believed it. When it came to Daphne, he suddenly turned blind and deaf. All he saw was her and the slightest possibility that they could be more than merely friends. For him there was no doubt that they belonged together. Daphne just hadn't realized it yet. Thinking of her with Donny made him feel sick. He could have blamed himself for never telling Daphne how he felt, but at the moment he solely blamed the small man for taking away the love of his life.

"Wanna get drunk?" Roz grinned at him. Maybe for just a second he remembered their kiss. Instead of keeping it simple and innocent, she had really kissed him. It had been a demonstration of her talents, for sure. So far she had been the only one to truly let him forget about Daphne, albeit for only a short moment. He was thankful so he nodded. Roz got up to retrieve some kind of booze. How she knew where to find it was beyond Niles. Maybe she instinctively knew where alcohol was hidden. Like a truffle pig. The thought almost made him smile, but his heart was still too heavy to let in any humor. The moment he saw that Roz had picked the most expensive bottle of wine, Niles felt angry. He had wanted to drink this with Daphne once Donny was out of the picture. Lost in his thoughts for too long, Roz had already opened it before he could stop her. She poured them both a glass and drowned hers at once. Niles just watched her.

"Sorry, I don't feel like a lady tonight." She said and poured another glass. This time she simply took a big gulp. Niles did the same. The wine was as exquisite as he had hoped. The company just wasn't the one he had expected or hoped for.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out." Niles said. The alcohol made him pensive. It rushed through his blood, gave him a funny feeling. He realized he should have eaten something beforehand. Now it was too late and part of him didn't care anymore.

"It's fine. It's really lovely here after all."

"I'm not the man you want to be with though." For a moment they were both quiet and considered what Niles had just said. He wasn't the one Roz wanted to be with; neither was she the one he wanted to have by his side. Many, many times Roz and Niles' lives had been merged together, because she worked with Frasier and had developed a friendship with him. She was Daphne's friend, too. No matter what they did, no matter how often they didn't want to spend time together, someone made them.

"I'm not Daphne." Roz giggled. Daphne was an angel and she herself the devil. She had never told her friend that she thought so. No one needed to state the obvious. Niles knew it, too. Still he turned to look at her. She couldn't read his expression. Then again both Niles and Frasier were mysteries to her. She didn't belong to their world.

Niles' thoughts revolved around something else as he looked at Roz. There were moments he didn't like this woman. Many times in the past he had considered her to be a nuisance factor in his life. All their teasing – all in good fun, right? He looked into her eyes. They were the same color as Daphne's, but they weren't as deep. They weren't as soft or as innocent. Roz was definitely something different. He remembered that her kiss had distracted him earlier. It had made him feel something. Not many things did; his thoughts were always filled with Daphne. All he wanted now was to forget – at least for a short moment. He sat his glass down. He hadn't had too much alcohol, but enough.

He was more nervous than he thought possible when he closed the distance between them. Roz didn't shy away, but neither did she kiss him back. She was too confused, too uncertain about what was happening. Niles closed his eyes, tried to make himself forget about Daphne. As Roz slowly opened her mouth, Niles couldn't think anymore. Roz knew what she was doing – and he let it happen.

_TBC_


	2. Rule I: Let's keep this a secret

**Rule I: Let's keep this a secret**

**A/N**: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Really made my day :)

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Niles awoke to soft crying. At first he believed it was Roz. Wait – why was Roz there in bed with him? He stared at her and the memories came back, one by one. Like a puzzle, they came together and gave him a clear, awkward picture of the last night. Careful not to wake her, Niles got up. For the moment he didn't care that Roz couldn't hear her own child wailing. It gave him the perfect opportunity to flee the bedroom that still smelled of their mistake. He had to get out of there or he was going be sick.

"Hey there, Alice." The little girl's eyes were all red and puffy from crying. She lifted her arms towards him. Niles hesitated. He didn't have much experience with infants. He still remembered when Frederick had been a baby. The boy hadn't been to Seattle much when he was small and Niles had never flown out to Boston. He had gotten to know his only nephew as a young, sophisticated boy who was mostly independent. Alice on the other hand wasn't. She still needed to be fed and changed. Niles wasn't sure he could do that. The other possibility was waking up Roz. While he realized how easy that could be, he also didn't want her to think he was incapable of taking care of her daughter. He had too much pride for that. Finally he picked up the small bundle. Alice was so much lighter than he had expected. She stopped crying almost immediately.

"Good girl." Gently rocking her, his eyes wandered about the room. He and Maris had hardly ever used it. The room was a guest room and if Niles was honest, they had never had many guests. They never had real friends. There were quite a few of things of Alice's in the room. It was amazing how much stuff babies needed. His eyes landed on the baby monitor. Someone had turned it off. Niles shook his head in incomprehension. No wonder Roz hadn't heard Alice cry. With the baby phone switched back on, Niles tried to put the girl back down. She clung to him like a scared kitten and he sighed.

"So you don't want to sleep, hm?" The girl's eyes stared at him. Niles dimly remembered them being blue at first. They had turned into a deep green by now. Children truly were miracles. He wasn't even scared of holding her anymore.

"You've probably met a few men in your short life already," Niles rocked her gently from side to side, "I know I should haven't said this. Your mom is great." As he said these words, he realized they were true. He didn't think much about Roz other than she was his brother's colleague – and well, rather annoying. He had never bothered to look deep into her eyes, ask her serious questions. How could he claim to know her? Niles looked at the cute girl in his arms. Once again, he had been a snob. He had always considered Roz to be someone of the working class, someone different from him. But if he thought about it, weren't Daphne and Roz were much alike?

"So even if you have met a lot of men… you don't have to like all of them, you know? Give your mom a sign who is a good guy and who's not. I think she could use the help sometimes. Hey, are you falling asleep on me?" Niles whispered the last words. Alice had finally calmed down. She fought hard to keep her eyes open, but she was going to lose this particular fight. As soon as her breathing was deep and even, Niles gently put her down. He watched to see if she would wake up again, but she didn't. One of her hands made a fist. She looked like a fighter, ready to take on the world. The image made Niles smile. Any child of Roz' would turn out as a tough as nails.

Walking back to the bedroom, Niles wasn't certain he wanted to return. While with Alice, he had mostly ignored what had happened. He and Roz. He and Roz had slept together. This had all started as a scam, so where had they gone wrong? He couldn't deny that last night had been wonderful (he didn't admit it though; not even to himself). It all came down to the fact that they should have done it. After all they were… friends? Niles couldn't say they were. Both of them were unattached at the moment. Niles' heart wasn't unattached; it was hung up on Daphne. Only last night Roz had made him forget about all of this. Her lips had touched his body, her deep, soft laugh had touched his heart. Niles realized he didn't regret what they had done at all. At least he didn't regret it as much as he probably should. Part of him wanted to go back and hide some more in her warmth. There was just a small part that still wanted to flee and forget the previous night had ever occurred.

Carefully, he opened the door even though he doubted it would wake Roz. After all she hadn't heard Alice cry either. So he was taken aback when a pair of eyes looked at him through the darkness. He could tell she was as uncertain as he had been only moments ago. Without much of a decision, he simply went back to bed. Roz sat up in bed, obviously appalled by his action.

"What are you doing?" She asked, holding the blanket up to her chin. It looked ridiculous and she wasn't the kind to be hiding anyway.

"I'm tired." Niles answered simply.

"But…" She trailed off. She didn't have the vocabulary to voice her fears and regrets and had hoped Niles would do it for her.

"I took care of Alice, she was a little bit fussy but she went back to sleep."

"I know." They stared at each other. Roz wore a shocked expression while Niles couldn't have been more confused. How could she possibly know? Then he remembered turning on the baby phone.

"I'm sorry about the things-" She waved his apology off. They had never apologized for their mean words, they weren't about to start now.

"We can't do this. Can we?" Niles had never expected her to ask such a question and mean it. He could see the honesty in her eyes. There was fear, too. She was scared of rejection. Maybe she had never actually asked someone to stay with her – whether for a night or for forever. Niles always asked, no, he pleaded. Being alone wasn't something he was good at. But his heart was already taken. Daphne had stolen it and there was no way he could retrieve it. They were doomed. His thoughts tumbled through his mind unsure what to say to Roz. The longer he waited, the more irritated she seemed to get.

"What- what do you mean? You want to do _this_?"

"No! I mean, I don't know. We could be like you know these people who just have sex." She shrugged, playing all of this down. Niles had always wondered how these things worked. How did people just have sex? It was not something he wanted. He wanted to be in a happy relationship, maybe get married again. To Daphne. Roz could never be more than a distraction.

"I know you're in love with Daphne, alright? I don't care. Maybe… if she ever shows any interest in you, you know." Roz grinned. Niles was still taken aback by her proposition. They couldn't possibly do this. But as he looked at her, he wondered if her lips still tasted the same as they had last night. Suddenly, he needed to know. He leaned forward and gently kissed her lips. When he moved away from her again, Roz' eyes were wide. Apparently, she hadn't expected him to agree on any of this (he hadn't either).

"We can't tell anyone about this." Niles said despite knowing it was wrong. They were doing this the wrong way. Had he possessed psychic powers, like Daphne claimed to do, he could have foreseen this was going to end badly. But he didn't. And part of him really wanted to try this. Just as a distraction, just to…

"We should make rules." Roz said uncertainly. She had taken Niles' hand in hers. Her hand was cold, he observed absent-mindedly. All he could think of was making her feel warm again. All other thoughts seemed to have just disappeared from his mind.

"Yes, rules. First – do not tell anyone." He told her and started kissing her neck. He just wanted to see what she tasted there. He needed to know. When he closed his eyes, he saw Daphne. Just for a short moment. She was smiling at him, and laughing. It was really Roz who was laughing. Niles needed to concentrate.

"No one would believe us anyway." That's why she was laughing. Before Niles gave in to his instincts, he realized she was right.

_TBC_


	3. Rule II: Don't Tell me What to do

**A/N: Again a huge thank you to all of you who reviewed! As I wrote this chapter, it occurred to me that this story is going to be long. Just a quick warning. Hope that won't stop you from continuing. **

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**Rule II: Don't Tell me What to do**

The day was beautiful; not one cloud in the sky, no chance of rain. Roz couldn't believe it. How had Niles Crane turned into her very own silver lining? She had to be dreaming. In the morning she had woken up before him. She had stared at him – a man unlike any other she had ever invited into her bed (and she had invited many). He had almost looked like a boy. A boy Roz could have fallen in love with once. The moment those thoughts had come to her, she banished them. This wasn't what this relationship was about. Whatever this was, she considered it to be another side of their already unique friendship. As she had looked at his sleeping form next to hers in this bed, she had actually pinched herself. The pain had been bittersweet; it had been real, it had been true.

The sun was almost setting when they were on their way back home to Seattle. Alice was safely in the back and fought to keep her eyes open. Roz smiled at her daughter who she loved more than anything else in the world. She never would have admitted it to anyone but having a child had mellowed her. Suddenly she dreamed about a family – at least from time to time (and far more often than she liked to admit). Donny was the perfect family man. In many ways he and Niles were very similar. Roz knew Niles wouldn't like the comparison, but it was true; both men had a soft spot for romance and a caring nature. A tendency that Roz knew would always cause them heartbreak.

Niles was humming along to a song on the radio. He looked happy in profile. Maybe Roz was the reason for this. They had spent the day like a family. The word made her cringe inside but it was the truth. A mother, a father and a little girl just spending a day in their little cottage. Life could be so easy. Naturally, it had all been a lie. In the daylight it was not as easy to kiss Niles; Roz couldn't deny that he was a good kisser. It shouldn't surprise her; he talked so much, he had to know how to properly use his lips. Still, in the daylight he was Niles Crane who was in love with one of her best friends. He was her boss' (and another one of her best friends!) little brother – and so annoying with his pretentious talk and antics. However, she had kissed him. She had touched him and she had learned of a new Niles. One who could make her smile without a feeling of spite. Hell, he could even make her heart beat faster. He was still Niles Crane though and how could they be this couple back in Seattle where real life awaited them?

"What are you going to tell them?" Roz asked. Only then did she realize they hadn't talked at all in the car. The words hurt her ears.

"Hm? Tell whom?"

"Your family."

"Why would I tell them anything? I stayed a day longer. It's my cottage after all."

"What about me?" Niles quickly looked at her. He had never seen this insecure side of her. It was refreshing; it was almost as if she needed him.

"You can tell them whatever you like. It's not like you talk to them on a daily basis."

"I do work with your brother, you know." Roz said sourly. She had known the carefree feeling between them was just a scam; she had hoped for it to persevere a little bit longer. Niles had the audacity to giggle and Roz felt the all too familiar guilt that was a side-effect of sleeping with the wrong man.

"I do know, but I thought we decided to keep this thing between us for now. Also, seriously, Frasier wouldn't believe it anyway. He didn't believe us yesterday, he won't do now. So tell him whatever you want. Didn't we talk about that last night?"

Roz suddenly realized that Niles had a point. She wasn't going to tell him so however; she stared out of the window and watched the scenery go by. To her surprise Niles hadn't changed the radio station and they were listening to contemporary country music. It was neither his nor her favorite music, still he kept humming along to some of those cheesy songs. Roz tried not to hear the songs about loves lost and break-ups. She had her own life to worry about. The silence between them and the gentle movement of the moving car made her sleepy. Before she drifted off, she stole another side-glance at Niles because she thought she'd heard him say something. To her he still looked fairly happy. Her final thought was that he had to be happy because of her. What a crazy thought…

* * *

Niles thought he could get used to looking at a sleeping Roz. They were in front of her apartment building, but neither she nor Alice had woken when the car had stopped. He had checked on the baby first. He had only spent one day with her, but a part of him had already fallen for the cute little girl. She was just a sweet, bright child. Gently, Niles reached over and touched Roz' cheek softly. He could get used to this, too, he thought.

"Hey." He whispered. When she grumbled, he couldn't help but smile.

"What?" Roz asked without opening her eyes.

"We're home. I'm sure it wouldn't be a first for you, spending the night in a car, but- OHH!" Niles didn't get to finish his thought as Roz hit his shoulder – hard. He rubbed the sensitive spot, but the pain wouldn't go away.

"You're such a baby." But Roz smiled; at least this was the Niles she was accustomed to. She turned to check on Alice, who still hadn't woken up.

"Well…" Neither knew what to make of this situation. They hadn't talked about any of this, not really. They both wanted to explore this path – no matter where it would lead them. Niles believed it would eventually unite him with Daphne. As twisted as their plan seemed, in many ways it made sense. Niles wasn't sure what Roz hoped to get from this. He was scared to ask her about it.

"I guess I'll see you around…"

"I could call you, or you call me or…" He trailed off and turned away from Roz. The thought had only just occurred to him and he was scared to voice it (he was scared to even be thinking it).

"Or what? Niles, I'm tired. Just talk, alright?"

"I could stay here with you or, or you could spend the night at my place." Roz was silent so he turned to look at her. She stared wide-eyed at him. By now, he should be used to her astonished expression.

"You're not serious."

"Why not?" Again, Niles had a point. At what point had he turned into this assertive man, Roz wondered. Maybe he had always been like this and she just hadn't paid attention.

"Because don't you think this is weird?" Niles looked at her quizzically.

"Alice is still asleep. I have enough space at the Montana for both of you."

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Do not plan my life or my future." Niles laughed, but Roz couldn't join in. She swallowed hard. She should end this, she knew (just like she knew she wouldn't).

"I wasn't asking you to move in. I was talking about tonight. Maybe other nights…"

"Rule number two," Roz began and looked deeply into Niles' blue eyes. They were so beautiful and so easy to get lost in. She had never really looked into his eyes before – before this irreversible shift in their relationship. "Rule number two, we don't tell each other what to do. You don't tell me where I should spend my night, you won't even tell me what to eat, what music to listen to or what movies to watch. Are we clear on that?" This time it was Niles who swallowed hard. He didn't take his eyes off her when he nodded solemnly. Time passed without either of them moving, then Roz leaned forward and kissed him. He was no longer hesitant and kissed her right back. As quickly as she had started it, Roz ended it.

"Do you- do you need help with Alice and your luggage?" Roz grinned at him. He was definitely a fast learner.

As Niles unlocked the door to the Montana, he felt a sense of loss. The apartment was cold and dark. There was no baby giggling, no smiling dark-haired woman to greet him. He sighed and sat on his fainting couch. Like a trigger, he was reminded of Daphne. He breathed in deeply. Niles hadn't really thought about her all day; Roz had distracted him so very well. Absent-mindedly he touched his lips. He couldn't possibly miss Roz, now could he?

His answering machine was blinking at him angrily. He listened to the messages without turning the lights on. They were all from Frasier.

"Well, dad said I shouldn't tell you but I think you should know that your plan back-fired. Donny and Daphne are happier than I've ever seen them, Niles. I have to suffer, of course, because apparently Donny's apartment is fumigated and he has to stay at my place. Can you image," his big brother sighed dramatically, "so thank you Niles for ruining-" The machine beeped and a new message from Frasier began.

"Where are you, Niles? We used the emergency key, but you're not home. Dad said it's my fault, but this is all your fault," then suddenly the voice became softer, "But do call. We're kind of worried." A last beep and the last message blared angrily at him:

"Niles! Did you get back together with Maris? Answer your phone! Call back!"

For a moment after the messages had ended, Niles tried to enjoy the silence. He couldn't. He hated silences. Annoyed, he picked up the phone and dialed Frasier's number.

"Niles? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Where have you been? Are you alright?"

"I decided to stay a day longer. I didn't know I had to report back to you and dad."

"We thought you might have done something stupid." Frasier laughed awkwardly. Niles grimaced; if his brother only knew…

"Dad wants you to come over. He says he needs to see you in person. Between us, I think he wants to cross examine you."

"I'll be over in half an hour."

_TBC_


	4. Rule III: Don't lie

**A/N: Again, thank you all for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it!**

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**Rule III: Don't lie**

When Niles stood in front of Frasier's door, he paused. He knew as soon as he entered, something would change. He wasn't sure what he would feel when he saw Daphne. His feelings for her were still there of course. But he had put them aside to be with Roz. In a way, he had cheated on Daphne. The thought was absurd; she didn't even know about his love for her. Still, he couldn't shake it off.

He knocked loudly and closed his eyes. Niles counted to three and prayed that when he opened them, he wouldn't see Daphne greet him with her angelic smile. No one heard him, because when the door opened all he saw was her. Her expression showed mild surprise, but then it turned into a big, beautiful smile.

"Hello, Dr. Crane. We were worried about you!"

"You were worried about me?" Niles asked, walking into the apartment.

"Well, your brother and father drove me crazy saying you went back to your ex-wife," Daphne looked around, then conspiratorially leaned towards him, "Donny and I didn't believe it for one second." Niles smelled her unique scent; it filled his nose and went right to his head, to his heart. As so often, it rendered him speechless. Paralyzed, he stood there unable to move. Her whispered words had let him shiver. Suddenly, he regretted having slept with Roz. He vowed never to let his guard down again. Daphne was the only woman for him.

"The lost son returns." Frasier's deep voice resonated through the room. He looked him up and down and obviously disapproved of Niles and Daphne standing so close together.

"Are you hungry, Dr. Crane? I could fix you something."

"No, thank you, Daphne, we've – I mean I've eaten."

"I knew it!" Frasier yelled, "You weren't alone. So you and Maris-"

"Would you leave your brother alone, Dr. Crane?" Niles was thankful when Daphne defended him. At least someone believed him. But if she knew the truth, if she ever found out who he had been with… he didn't want her to find out. In many ways this was worse than Niles sleeping with Lilith. Without a doubt, it had been a mistake – a singular mistake. Niles and Roz had started something unspeakable. Not just an isolated event, but something else. A relationship even he didn't have the words for.

"Sherry, Niles?" Frasier cleverly changed the subject, because he hoped Daphne would leave them alone. Instead of answering, he just nodded. As Frasier poured the alcohol, their father walked into the apartment, obviously returning from a walk with Eddie.

"There you are. Where the hell have you been?" Niles felt exhausted from being yelled at. He wanted Frasier and his dad to leave him and Daphne alone again. He felt her eyes on him and he wondered if she saw a change in him.

"I haven't been with Maris." He explained right away, taking the glass of sherry Frasier offered him. He took a sip from the sugary, sticky alcohol. His father looked at him, examined him. A part of him had never retired from being a cop.

"You haven't been up there alone, have you? How did Roz get home without you anyway?" Their cover had been perfect right up to that moment. No one would have expected them to really hook up. Their secret had been safe. Now his face betrayed him; his morals acted up and the all too familiar taste and smell of blood reached him. He felt like sneezing, but couldn't.

"What do you mean? Of course I was alone! I thought Roz left with you. I-I didn't see her."

"You're lying." Frasier noted amused.

"I'm not. This is- this is- an allergy."

"You know, I tried calling Roz last night. She wasn't home! Now I know why!" Daphne grinned at him and that was it. Blood dripped from Niles' nose and it felt like something inside him had burst. Daphne didn't care. She was grinning – she seemed to be happy that he'd been with Roz. He hadn't expected that. Niles realized he hadn't really thought about Daphne's reaction; mostly, he hadn't wanted her to find out, but if for some reason she would have found out anyway, he had expected her to react differently. He couldn't fathom that they reacted so calmly to the idea of him and Roz.

"Niles!" His father grinned satisfied, too. Niles gently shook his head, hoping to wake up from this strange illusion. He didn't, because it was real. Everything that had happened – starting with that one kiss, starting with too much wine – it had all been true. This was as well.

"I told you I haven't been with Maris. Anything else is not your business." Where he found the strength to utter these words, he didn't know. Frasier wore an unreadable expression. Maybe there was jealousy there, but Niles didn't know. His brother had never mentioned an interest in Roz. At the moment he didn't care about it anyway. For all he knew Frasier was simply angry with him.

"Like Donny said: that cottage must have romantic powers." Niles closed his eyes in pain. It felt like a heart attack; at least it felt like he imagined a heart attack to feel. His arms were heavy and in so much pain. His heart thumbed angrily in his chest, a strange rhythm to remind him he was no longer in control of any of this. He needed to get away from Daphne's smile and his father's thoughts. Niles needed a remedy. Ever since he had entered the apartment, he had only thought about Daphne. She had been on his mind, in his heart. But suddenly he remembered the carefree feeling from sometime this day. When Roz and he had been together, almost an item, almost something real, he hadn't felt this unbearable pain. He had felt good. Happy, maybe. He needed to feel it again. Roz was the only one who could make him forget all of this. How ironic, really. When they'd been newly acquainted, he had often forgotten she even existed. He had never been able to recall her face or her name. Suddenly, he needed her. Needed her more than he could have foreseen. His plan to stop this madness, to save himself for Daphne, fell apart as if it had never existed.

"Well, now that you've seen I'm alright and not back together with my ex-wife, would you please excuse me?" Niles swayed as he got up. He wasn't drunk on alcohol, but on too much emotions. No one noticed.

"Where are you going?" Frasier asked. Niles stared back at his brother.

"Home." It was a blatant lie and he figured Frasier knew it, too, but his nose didn't start bleeding again. Nothing happened. He stole one last glance at Daphne. She stood near the kitchen with a knowing smile. She looked like a woman in love. The thought almost blinded him, made his knees feel weak – because she wasn't in love with him.

"Goodnight, dad, Frasier," he swallowed hard, "Daphne." Quickly, he turned around and left. He knew the minute he was gone, they would start talking, gossiping about him and Roz. About the secret affair they had only decided on less than twenty four hours ago. He had to let her know what had happened. He justified his need to see her with that feeble excuse.

Sitting in his car, Niles called Roz. He could have just shown up, but that wasn't his style. Also she had made it clear that she was in charge of her life and this relationship. He wasn't the kind of hero in a romantic novel to just sweep someone off their feet with an unannounced arrival anyway.

"Niles, what is wrong?"

"How did you know it was me?"

"Caller ID."

"Well, hi, I need to tell you something…" On the other end of the line, Roz closed her eyes. They had spent such a wonderful day together and of course he would break if off. It was just like Niles to do it over the phone – like a coward.

They were back in the real world. He had seen Daphne and she had changed everything. For the first time Roz was jealous of Daphne. She already had Donny and even though she didn't know it, Niles would have gladly done everything for her. Roz had never wanted it to be Niles, but didn't she deserve a man like that, too?

"I figured you would call and-"

"My family knows. Daphne, too."

"What?"

"It just happened. They asked questions and I can't lie and it just-" He recalled Daphne's grin and it just hurt.

"You told them! Niles, you're such an idiot. Did they believe you? I mean they think we're a couple now?" She sounded disgusted. Whether she was disgusted by him or the thought of them being a proper couple, he couldn't tell.

"I-I-I don't know what they think. I left." He didn't tell her about his emotional turmoil. That was his own.

"This is against the rules," Roz noted, "We said we'd keep this to ourselves."

"I didn't do this on purpose."

"Well, it happened anyway."

"I want to come over." Niles suddenly blurted. Unseen by him, Roz smiled sadly.

"Why?"

"Because…" He couldn't tell her the truth, not after the day they had spent together. They both knew he was in love with Daphne, but him saying it again and again wouldn't change anything. It would only hurt Roz. As much as Niles wanted to forget his own pain, he didn't want to impose any on her.

"Because I want to be with you. Strangely enough, I miss you." To his own surprise, his nose didn't bleed. Roz' heart beat loudly, but Niles of course couldn't hear it – or see her exhausted expression. How easy it could be to tell him this had gone too far already. They had already broken one rule.

"I kind of – Alice misses you, too, I think. She cried when she woke because you weren't there." Roz lied. It had been her who couldn't concentrate on anything but her thoughts of Niles. She couldn't understand what had happened. He was still Niles Crane. He was not the man she wanted; he belonged to another woman.

"You told me not to decide anything for you, so I'm asking you… is it ok if I-"

"Just get over here, Niles." They hung up simultaneously. Roz gnawed her lip and stared at her untidy apartment. Tears threatened to fall. She wouldn't let Niles see them – ever. Still at Frasier's, Niles started his car. He couldn't wait to be with Roz. He needed her distraction.

(He really did need _her_)

_TBC_


	5. Rule IV: Don't Call me Honey

**Rule IV: Don't call me Honey**

**A/N: **I'm really sorry for the late update. Thank you guys for all the reviews!

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Waking up next to Roz was something Niles could get used to. He felt content as he eased out of her bed. A small part of him was concerned with how many men had been right there before him, but then again this was Roz. He wasn't planning on spending the rest of his life with her. Before he went to the bathroom, he looked at her. Sleeping, she looked like an angel. Usually, Daphne was the only woman he thought of as angelic, but Roz, he had to admit, wasn't that far behind.

"Want to meet for coffee later?" Niles asked Roz about an hour later. She was rather grumpy in the morning and every time he asked her something, she seemed ready to bite his head off.

"Why don't we see if we both end up at Nervosa at the same time?" She chewed listlessly on some kind of burnt toast while Alice watched her mother – and Niles.

"You don't want Frasier to see us," He stated and she looked up at him, "You have to deal with him anyway. Like I said, I'm really sorry he found out."

"Yeah well, you should be. He is probably going to tell everyone at work." Roz groaned and threw a piece of toast at him.

"It's not my fault!" Niles exclaimed.

"Of course it's your fault! I didn't blab!"

"And I didn't do it on purpose!"

"That doesn't change anything!" Niles suddenly started grinning; he couldn't help it. His heart thumped loudly in his chest and he was overtaken by a strange happiness. On a spur of the moment, he leaned forward and kissed Roz. She was surprised at first and struggled. Niles let his tongue travel over her closed lips, asking for entrance. It was then that he realized that Alice was with them, watching. He blushed and ended the kiss as quickly as he had started it.

"Well, that changes a lot." Roz said. She diverted her eyes away from him and Niles didn't think he'd ever seen her so shy. He liked it. He found there were many things he liked about her – about all of this.

"See you later?" He asked her almost pleadingly. She eventually nodded and granted him a soft smile. Who would have thought that being with Roz could be like this?

Daphne smiled happily as she entered Nervosa. Lately, she couldn't stop smiling. Being with Donny was what she'd always dreamed of. He was attentive, he was kind and while he was not a hunk in the conventional understanding, she really found him attractive. Being in love herself, she wanted everyone around her to feel the same way. Granted, it had surprised her to hear about the younger Dr. Crane and Roz. As happy as she was for them, she couldn't quite wrap her head around it. So she had called Roz earlier to ask if they could meet for a coffee. Her friend had been rather hesitant, but eventually agreed. Daphne was more than curious to find out how all of this could have happened.

Roz was already there. She looked around nervously, playing with a cup of coffee in front of her. Daphne wondered why her friend seemed so upset; she couldn't remember ever seeing her like that. Maybe it had to do with Dr. Crane. Just which one, she asked herself. There were two of them in her life now.

"Tell me everything." Daphne said excitedly when she sat down next to Roz, who smiled uncertainly.

"Hi, Daphne." Roz rolled her eyes.

"How did this happen?"

"Well…" Roz hadn't come up with a story yet. She couldn't tell her it had started out as a scam, as a way to get her and Niles together. Daphne wouldn't have understood. Then again, Roz had no idea how she and Niles had actually happened. She tried to come up with something. She had made up so many stories in her life already; this was just one more. As she tried to think, she saw Niles approaching the café. Her mind went blank, her heart started beating faster. This couldn't be real, could it? Daphne saw the terrified look on her friend's face and turned around – just as Niles entered. He saw his two women (the one he loved and the one he had made love to) and just stopped for a second.

"Excuse me." A woman tried to leave the café, but couldn't because Niles was blocking the door. He snapped out of his trance. With a plastered on smile he didn't feel, he walked towards the table with Daphne and Roz. To keep up with appearance, he decided to give Roz a kiss hello. He could see panic in her eyes and almost enjoyed it.

"Hello Daphne." Niles greeted the woman he still considered the love of his life. Roz tried to stop him with her eyes, but he didn't listen. He leaned over and gently kissed her lips. She tasted like coffee and something he had come to crave in the last few days. He sat down next to her and looked at Daphne, who wore an unreadable expression. Gone was the happiness she had expressed the night before. It had been replaced with confusion, and her attempt to smile it away failed.

"Hey, Niles. I was just talking to Daphne about…" 'us' would have been the right word, but she couldn't utter the word. It would have declared them an item and even though Niles' action had done so a few moments ago, she didn't have it in herself to speak of it.

"We were just talking. Girl talk." Daphne nodded quickly. There was nothing Roz could have told her that would have prepared her for this picture anyway. Before Niles had walked in, them dating had been theoretical. Not emotional. Daphne had never cared for the logical side of things. All she knew were feelings. She had not expected to feel as she did when Dr. Niles Crane had leaned over to give Roz a small kiss that nonetheless proved to the world that they were some kind of couple. Usually, they would have already gone at each other by now, but they sat there quietly and much too close together.

"Well that sounds like… fun. I actually came here to ask you something." Niles said. He was all too aware of Daphne's eyes on them. He tried to ignore her presence (always a futile attempt).

"If you want to take me to some kind of opera, save your breath. My answer is no." Niles couldn't help but smile at her immediate defensiveness.

"Actually, no. I'm supposed to attend this social event Saturday. I thought you could be my date?"

"I- are you serious?" Daphne felt like they had completely forgotten about her being there. She tried to look away, but somehow they were like a car accident. She fumbled with Roz' coffee cup, just to distract herself. She had never gotten around to ordering one as well. Every once in a while she glanced at the unlikely couple in front of her.

"Of course I am." Unexpectedly, Niles turned to Daphne. "You and Donny are coming, too?"

"What?"

"He didn't tell you?" For some reason, Niles blushed.

"No, he didn't. Excuse me, I have to make a phone call." Daphne was relieved when she finally had a reason to leave these two alone. She remembered Donny saying something about an upcoming event, but he had never set a date. Sometimes he forgot little details like that. As she watched Dr. Crane and Roz together, she realized that he would probably never forget to tell her about it. After all, she had to pick a dress, get ready. She sighed, waiting for Donny to answer his phone.

"Do you think this is such a good idea? Your brother tends to leave me out of these snobbish social events – and for a reason, too."

"To be honest, I want you to be there. Don't look at me like that. I think it's obvious by now that you don't completely annoy me when we're together."

"It's something I can't get used to." Roz admitted. She hadn't noticed that she'd taken one of Niles' hands in hers. She loved them; the hands of a piano player. When she was younger, she had wanted to play herself. Something had always come up. She had dated musicians before, but never a true piano player.

"Maybe you could pretend to be used to it just for one night."

"Well, I can try."

"Thanks… honey." They both cringed at the word and laughed.

"Don't ever do that again," Roz told him, "That's just way too weird. Even for us." She had used the word after all. Smiling at each other, neither noticed Daphne looking at them puzzled.

_TBC_


	6. Rule V: No Excuses

**Rule V: No Excuses**

**A/N: First of all, I'm a very forgetful person and that's the reason I tend to not thank each of my reviewers individually. I love you all for reviewing - so thank you for that! Also, I know I already warned you this was going to be a long story. I didn't realize just _how_ long. This chapter was never meant to be written, but somehow it sneaked up on me. As you can see, even my A/N's turn into novels. So I hope you still enjoy this story, cause I sure love writing it! **

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The week turned out to be uneventful – much to Niles' surprise. Roz had hit him painfully from behind the first time her co-workers had made fun of her for dating Frasier Crane's little brother. He had been sore for hours and he had almost refused to speak to her afterwards. Until she had kissed the spot tenderly and made it all better.

The biggest obstacle had been Frasier. At least in both their minds. When Roz had come to work after Niles' confession, she had stared long and hard at her boss, waiting for him to comment on the affair.

"Is something the matter?" He had asked innocently.

"Don't you have anything to say to this?"

"To what? Be precise, Roz."

"Me and Niles dating, you doofus."

"You and Niles can do whatever you want. I don't care." Roz had leaned in close to her boss and friend. Their noses had almost touched. It had been then that Roz had noticed how similar the brother's eyes were. As if she'd received an electric shock, she had stepped away from him.

"Are you? Are you sure?" She had asked, busying herself with some paperwork. She hadn't realized she was sorting blank papers. Frasier had gently taken them away from her hectic hands.

"I'm sure." He had told her and they hadn't spoken about it again. Niles hadn't been as lucky as Roz:

"Have you completely lost your mind?" Frasier had shown up one evening at Niles' apartment. Niles himself had tried to avoid seeing his family, because he hadn't wanted to answer any of their questions. That had been only one reason. Daphne was the other one. Donny was still been living with Frasier and seeing them so domestically would have just been too hard for Niles. So he had stayed in the sanctity of his own apartment, never thinking that his brother would actually show up to confront him.

"Good evening, Frasier. What brings you here?"

"You and your insanity!" His brother had slammed the door, destroying the tranquility of the moment.

"Roz said-"

"Of course you've already talked to her," Frasier had laughed without humor. A sound, Niles had realized, he didn't like, "You cannot date Roz."

"Funny, because I think I am dating her already. You're my brother, Frasier, and I love you. I will not let you tell me what to do. You told me to leave Daphne alone and I did."

"But _Roz_?"

"Are you jealous?"

"That is preposterous! No, I'm not jealous. The two of you just don't… fit." Niles had smiled, because his brother had had no idea how well it was going between them. Not that it hadn't surprised Niles at well, but it was the truth. He hadn't told Frasier that. Just like he hadn't voiced his doubts or his ongoing feelings for Daphne. Just this once, Niles had decided he wanted to do something that his gut told him to do. He didn't want to listen to his brother, his father or anyone.

"We'll see."

"All we'll see is a catastrophe."

Nevertheless, Frasier had let the subject drop. It was Friday and Niles was sitting at Nervosa, drinking his coffee. His brother and his girlfriend (the word in connection to Roz still felt new and made him tingle all over) entered. They were arguing and Niles realized some things simply never changed.

"Hello Niles." Frasier ordered his usual with a wave of his hand and sat down at Niles' table uninvited. Niles on the other hand drew a chair for Roz, who just stared at him blankly. He shrugged apologetically and waited for her to sit down. She didn't. Roz drew herself another chair and sat opposite the two brothers. Frasier tried to hide his grin and failed. Niles, feeling hurt, put the chair back and kissed Roz' cheek before he sat down again. He took a sip from his coffee and pretended that nothing had happened.

"Anyway," Roz said after a moment of awkward silence, "I was totally right about that caller. Admit it, Frasier."

"I will admit nothing."

"Do I want to know what this argument is about?" Niles asked.

"No." Roz and Frasier answered in unison.

"I thought so. Roz, I was thinking I'd pick you up at seven tomorrow."

"I haven't found a babysitter yet." Roz quickly answered. Truth was she hadn't looked for one, because she didn't want to go on a formal date with Niles.

"Frasier can do it." Niles didn't take his eyes off Roz. He had realized that he could tell when she was lying. It was like a superpower of his; he could see dishonesty in her eyes, her attitude.

"Excuse me!"

"Niles, I don't think-" Roz began. She looked at Frasier whose enormous head looked like a light bulb ready to explode.

"He owes me a favor anyway, right, Frasier?"

"I do not! I can't babysit Alice or have you forgotten that I was invited, too?" Niles suddenly remembered. Roz grinned. But Niles didn't give up. There was no way he was going to that ball without a date. Roz was his girlfriend, even if they had only been going out for a week, so she just had to accompany him. He couldn't imagine facing Daphne and Donny without her by his side.

"Dad will do it. I know he's free Saturday night and he loves Alice."

"You can't just decide for your father." Roz said.

"I'll ask him," Without taking his eyes off Roz, he took out his cell phone and dialed Frasier's home number. It didn't take long before Martin answered.

"Dad, it's Niles. Would you do me a favor?" Just like that, Roz didn't have a choice but go with Niles to that ball after all.

Roz had told Niles she didn't want to see him that night. The disappointment in his eyes had surprised her, but she'd stayed strong. It had been a lie; she wanted to be with him badly. Niles had become a new kind of addiction. He was like coffee, only more solid. Like alcohol, but less damaging. At least she hoped he was. The feelings he evoked in her scared Roz. She wasn't ready to tell him about it. Usually, she could have talked to Daphne or at least Frasier about it. Now, she had to endure it all on her own. She kept trying to tell herself it was only Niles. The words had lost their meaning. Just the simple mention of his name could turn her into a puddle of goo – and she hated it.

These feelings had not made her keep him away that Friday night. It was her inability to find a dress for that fancy outing. Why Martin had agreed to watch Alice was beyond Roz. As far as she had understood, Niles hadn't even bribed him with anything. She looked at her sleeping baby, her beautiful beast, and was overcome with love. Martin loved the little girl as if she were his family. Suddenly, Roz saw a mental picture of a little boy with her hair and Niles' blue eyes. She startled and rummaged through her closet to distract herself. Somehow none of these dresses were fancy enough. The ones that were didn't fit her, because she was still carrying some baby fat from her pregnancy. She wondered what kind of dress Niles wanted her to wear. Thinking about it, she felt sick. She didn't want to care what Niles thought. But suddenly she had an idea; there was someone who could help her pick a dress. Quickly, she dialed the number by heart.

"Daphne, I need your help."

_TBC_


	7. Rule VI: I Don't Do Feelings

**Rule VI: I Don't Do Feelings**

**A/N: Again, THANKS for the reviews! I've had a lot of trouble with this chapter which is why this chapter is still not the one I wanted to write. Hopefully, the next one will be it (not the end, just the chapter I want to write). Enjoy!**

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When Daphne hung up the phone, she just stood there for a moment. Roz wanted her to help pick a dress. Usually, it was the other way around. She had never seen her friend like this; it was all because of Dr. Niles Crane. The thought still seemed so unusual. For once she couldn't tell what she was feeling. She entered her bedroom where Donny was lounging on her bed, surrounded by papers. He looked up and gave her a quick smile. She didn't tell him about the phone call or the weird feelings she'd been having earlier at the café. Maybe she was second-guessing her relationship with Donny. She observed him and completely lost herself in it.

"What's the matter?" Donny finally asked. His dark eyes were opened widely. He was clearly worried about her. If Daphne was honest, then she was worried about all of this, too. She forced a small smile as to not further confuse him.

"I'm fine. Roz asked me to help her choose a dress for that fancy event tomorrow. Poor thing is worried she doesn't have anything to wear. I was just wondering if I had a dress she could borrow."

"It's pretty weird, isn't it?" Donny asked as Daphne looked into her rather small closet. She didn't even have half the amount of the dresses Roz owned.

"Not really. I've borrowed dresses from her before, too." Donny snickered and Daphne turned to look at him.

"I meant Roz and Niles. It's weird. I mean I think it's pretty great, but I would have never thought that these two would hook up." Daphne didn't want to show Donny what she was feeling. Mainly because she wasn't even sure herself what this was. It almost felt like jealousy, but that couldn't be it. There was no reason to be jealous of Roz. Dr. Crane was still a dear friend and them dating didn't change it. Still, it felt like something had changed. Or rather, something about their relationship had shifted. Daphne couldn't put a finger on it, but she didn't like it. She didn't like it at all.

"Maybe they see something in each other we all don't see?" She tried it out, but the words felt strange on her tongue. Almost bitter. The taste intensified when Daphne stumbled over the dress she'd been wearing to the Snow Ball. The one night where she and Niles had almost been something. Pretending had been fun, because it hadn't been real. She had felt so beautiful and so secure in his presence. She remembered those feelings now and wondered if Roz felt the same. For her it was more than a night. Daphne made a mental note to ask Roz what exactly this was between her and Niles. The bitter taste returned and Daphne swallowed. She feared Roz' answer.

Roz was thankful that Daphne had agreed to help her on such short notice. She quickly opened the door when her best friend knocked. Alice was fast asleep and she was a tight sleeper; sometimes Roz thought a bomb could crash in the middle of their living room and her daughter wouldn't even stir. Her friend looked shyly from the other side of the door. Roz realized they were finally alone. This was the woman Niles was so desperately in love with. She was the only reason why she and Niles were together. She would never be able to tell her this. In dating Niles, Roz had destroyed a tiny part of her relationship with Daphne and her best friend had no idea about it.

"Come in. Thanks for doing this. I know you have better things to do, but – I don't want Niles to be ashamed of me. Oh wow, did I really just say this?" Roz threw her hands up in the air and Daphne could just stare at the sight in front of her. The pacing and the rambling were not a part of Roz. She did both things uncertainly, almost awkwardly. Like a child taking its first steps. Daphne's knees gave in as she realized what this meant: Roz was in love. She had truly and irrevocably fallen in love with Niles Crane. There was no plausible explanation for Daphne's conflicting emotions. She could have been happy for Roz; she should have been. Any other day, maybe, she would have been. Things could change in an instant. A little detail here, a wrong turn there and everything was different. She tried telling herself there was no reason to feel this. Nothing had changed – for her. Still, her whole world felt upside down.

"Is it that bad?" Roz asked and Daphne looked at her. She had not listened to a word she'd said. Roz was wearing a dress that was way too flashy; it might have been her style, but deep down Daphne knew Niles would hate this. She could tell Roz it was fine and let her figure it out on her own tomorrow night. The thought hit her like an electric shock. Roz was her best friend; how could she even contemplate doing that to her? She grimaced and Roz took that as the only answer she needed.

"You see, I really need your help." Daphne's hands shook as she went through the dresses Roz had laid out. Her fingertips were icy cold; she hardly felt the different fabrics she was touching. Her tongue was a brick in her mouth while Roz chatted happily. Daphne didn't hear anything but the occasional 'Niles'.

"Daphne?" Her own name registered a moment too late. She turned to Roz hastily, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Her friend noticed something was wrong, because Daphne could read it in her eyes. She was debating if she should ask her about it.

"Are you ok? You seem distracted. I hope it's not Donny." The honesty in Roz voice hit Daphne like a truckload of stones. She hadn't expected that. She clearly remembered how Donny had told her about Roz and him. She had been the one to make him realize what he wanted in life. One night, under the blanket of protecting darkness Donny had confessed how much he had loved Roz. How much he had wanted to have a family with her. Daphne had contemplated it. She knew Roz. A Roz a couple of years younger would have been even less likely to get married and tend to a man's every need. Have his children. Daphne had felt a tingle upon thinking this. As much as she had tried to come up with an image of a child that was half her and half Donny, she couldn't see it. She had blamed it on the darkness back then; she had not thought about it. Donny, she had realized then, was in this relationship for the long haul. As she stared at a concerned Roz, she realized this was the reason she felt this way. She wasn't jealous at all. Donny's intense feelings for her simply scared her. The relief filled her up, made her grin at Roz.

"I'm fine. I just – I am happy for you and Dr. Crane. You still haven't told me how this happened. I won't tell you which dress to wear if you don't tell me."

"Are you sure you want to know?" The silence only lasted seconds, but it felt like years. Daphne wanted to tell her about her doubts, about her fears. The things she hardly understood herself; things she hoped Roz could explain to her. She didn't say anything. Quietly, they decided to spare each other the feelings of hurt and guilt, at least for now. They seemed to be floating on an ice floe; one that was about to break. Where they would both end up, they didn't want to think about. Seconds passed and Daphne finally nodded.

"I still can't believe it myself," Roz began and looking at Daphne's shaky hands, she knew she could never be honest about Niles. The truth she denied herself was that she liked him. She more than simply liked him. It didn't make sense, but in the end love had never made sense. "It just happened. You know, suddenly you look at someone and you see something completely different than the day before?" While it was a rhetorical question, Daphne nodded. She did know. But she wouldn't admit it; she wouldn't tell anyone what she thought she was beginning to understand about herself. Herself and Niles.

"At first we were just… we wanted to deal with our pain and we just – it turned into something more real. I think I'd almost call it serious." Daphne clutched a dress and when the impact of Roz' words hit her, she looked away. Her eyes registered the garment in her hand and knew this was the perfect dress. Any other time she would have worn it herself. A different turn many, many years ago and it would have been her wearing this dress the next night. She willed her heart to stop beating as quickly as it did.

"Wear this," she said with difficulty, "He is going to love you in this."

_TBC_


	8. Rule VII: I Don't Dance

**Rule VII: I Don't Dance**

**A/N: **I am really sorry it took me this long to finally update. I just couldn't make myself write this chapter and now it isn't the one I wanted to write. Despite that, I hope you guys enjoy and I'd love to know what all of you think. Thank you.

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Niles couldn't stop his hands from shaking. It was ridiculous, really. This was Roz he was about to pick up. All this was supposed to be was a diversion. Once again he looked at his reflection in the mirror. The man he saw there was someone he hadn't often seen. The longer he stared, the more he wondered who he had changed into. Was this still the man who was in love with Daphne? Or was he tied up with someone else, someone he had never considered as a life partner? He took a deep breath, but it came out shaky. He hadn't felt like this in years. Maybe the last time had been with Daphne. Somehow everything had always been about Daphne in the last few years. Tonight it wasn't. This was about him and Roz. He looked at his hands, still shaking. He knew there was no reason to feel like this. He hadn't meant to develop feelings for Roz. But he had. So far he didn't understand what this was; all he knew was that their plan of just sleeping together, of making Daphne and possibly Donny, jealous had backfired on them. Niles packed his keys and turned off the lights. For a moment he stood in the silence. The darkness had never suited him, but he needed the time to take a deep breath. He closed his eyes and suddenly the image of a smiling Daphne flashed before his eyes. His heart beat quickly, before it broke; the face turned into Roz and he didn't know what it meant.

They had decided to all go together: Daphne and Donny, Frasier and his date and of course Niles and Roz. As the three men stood in Frasier's living room as if waiting for their prom dates, Niles couldn't remember whose stupid idea this had been. Martin sat with baby Alice and Niles couldn't help but look at the bubbly child. He had spent so much time with the little girl lately and he had grown attached to her. As he watched the scene, he thought about what it would do to the baby when he and Roz… he couldn't finish the thought. They weren't supposed to be a couple and they weren't (denial could be such a beautiful thing). But he hadn't considered what they were going to do once they broke off this agreement. In the past, they had never been friends. However, they had been a part of each other's lives. The women came out together. Someone whistled and Niles wasn't sure who, but he figured it was his father. His eyes didn't land on Daphne, like he had thought, but on Roz. He blamed it on having thought about her just a moment ago. She looked positively stunning in her fiery red dress. Not too long ago, he had read a scientific article that stated that women wearing red were automatically more attractive. At that moment, to Niles, it rang true. Roz was clearly bathing in the attention she got from all the men present, but finally joined Niles, who took her hand as if it was something they had always done. His hand felt sweaty and hers was cold, but neither commented on it. Donny gently kissed Daphne and only when she stood next to him and he caught her magnificent scent, did Niles look at her – really look at her. She was wearing a green dress that for some reason seemed to complement Roz'. They looked like sisters; the evil one and the good one. There was no question in his mind which woman was which. Still, he held on to Roz hand and diverted his eyes away from the woman he was certain was the love of his life. The woman who looked also magnificent in red.

"Let's get going." Frasier said and finally, they were on their way.

While she loved parties, Roz hated these events where old, rich people just stood in small groups and gossiped. Naturally, it was precisely such a party. Niles was nowhere to be found, even though he had only wanted to get himself something to drink. She saw Donny and Daphne in the distance, talking to someone who looked vaguely familiar. Both of them were smiling and Roz once again felt a stab of jealousy. They looked so comfortable together. Unlike Frasier and his date whose name Roz had already forgotten. She was even more bored than Roz and Frasier didn't seem to be interested in her in the least.

"There you are." As quickly as he had disappeared, Niles joined her again. Weirdly enough, she felt relieved. He looked handsome (not that she would ever tell him so) and for some reason he smelled irresistibly (she would definitely not tell him that). She decided to be daring and took his hand. He didn't seem to mind or even care and looked around. He giggled to himself and Roz was amazed how caught up he could be in that little world of his. She wondered what he was thinking about. Was he thinking about Daphne? Was he watching her like she had done moments ago? Asking him was not an option. She couldn't put herself on the line like that. They were not a couple and she was not the jealous girlfriend. They were friends now. Friends who had amazing sex. That was all (if she said it often enough, she could believe it. Maybe).

"You know, sometimes even I realize how pretentious these people are." There was sadness in Niles' voice. Trying to tell him he wasn't like them (not always), Roz turned to Niles. She watched him in profile and – naturally, she blamed the light. Something inside of her burst. Emotions swapped over her and tried to wrestle her down. Just for a second, she thought her knees buckled. Then it was all over. Mere seconds had passed; Niles hadn't noticed anything at all, but Roz' eyes softened. She knew what had just happened. The sadness that settled on her like a veil was even darker than the one she had just detected in Niles' words. Without thinking, she softly kissed his cheek. When Niles turned to her afterwards, she couldn't read his expression. Nothing in his face seemed to move; he didn't even blink. But his eyes were so unbelievably blue. Hadn't she read somewhere that blue eyes were the most honest? She had never cared for such nonsense. Suddenly, she remembered that Daphne had told her. Instantly, she broke the eye contact and hated herself for giving up.

"Let's dance." Niles said to Roz' surprise.

"Oh no! I don't dance."

"Well, given the song I wouldn't call it dancing. It's more like swaying."

"Niles, no. The only time I dance is when I'm drunk and at some frat party."

"Just one dance." She was no longer in the position to deny him anything. With a dramatic sigh she didn't feel, she let him take her hand and lead her to the dance floor. There were a few couples dancing already. Otherwise she wouldn't have agreed to this. Once again, she felt her knee buckle. This time it was because she couldn't dance. As far as she knew, Niles couldn't either. Then again he had grown up rich; maybe his mother had sent him and Frasier to take dance lessons. It was a slow dance. Roz thought she knew the song, but she couldn't quite name the title. She let the music take her away. Her head ended up on Niles' shoulder as if it belonged there. His scent surrounded her like a bubble; she felt like they were the only two people there.

"Thank you." He whispered against her hair.

"What for?" But he didn't answer. Maybe he couldn't. Roz soon forgot about it and let her eyes close. She got lost in the music and in Niles' arms. That way she didn't see Daphne looking at them from a distance.

The festive mood had distracted Daphne. She had felt a pang of something when Roz and Niles had held hands earlier, but then she had lost sight of them and everything had returned to normal. Donny had shown her off and it had made her feel special. His hands were constantly on her to show everyone who she belonged to. She had enjoyed it – at first. Eventually his hand had almost burnt on her skin. Her smiles had come less naturally. But she had powered through. As she looked at Donny, talking to someone he knew (whose name he had told her and that she had uncharacteristically forgotten), she wondered what had changed. It wasn't Donny. He was still the same man. It was her; she had changed. Her eyes immediately went to search for Niles. She wanted to look at him, to confirm her feelings for him were different as well. At first, she couldn't find him. Until she saw him on the dance floor. Of course he wasn't alone. Roz was with him. She was in his arms and Daphne felt red hot heat rise within her. Once upon a time this had been her. She had been in his arms; she had been the one to teach him how to dance. The moment didn't last long, because Daphne quickly realized that Niles had never been hers. How was it, she wondered bitterly, that the heart decided that it was in love only when it was too late?

"Daphne, you ok?" Donny touched her cold, cold hand. She wasn't ok; she was in love! She looked over at Niles – Dr. Crane – and couldn't believe it. All this time. All this time she hadn't known or even guessed. She had feelings for Niles Crane that went beyond friendship. Donny looked up at her, waiting for an answer she couldn't give him.

"Do you want to dance?" His smile was sweet and hopeful, just like it always was. She wanted to say yes so badly. Dancing all her pain and fears away was something she knew. But this time it reminded her of Niles. Missed chances; opportunities that had never been taken.

"I'm quiet thirsty."

"Alrighty, let me get you something to wet your lips and then we'll show them what a real dance is." Daphne didn't see him walk away. Her eyes were glued to the couple there in the distance. They were like a car crash; a scene that hurt her deeply, but also fascinated her. In her mind, she replayed moments she hadn't paid attention to in the past. Niles complimenting her on her dresses, her hair – everything. The lingering looks he had given her. Sentences that had been left unfinished. Daphne had always been afraid to take the next step, to ask the crucial question. Deep down, she had known. Then again she hadn't _known_. As she looked at the unlikely couple oblivious of the rest of the world, she knew without a doubt that Niles Crane had had feelings for her. How could she have been so blind? The longer she looked at the man she had known for so many years now, the more certain she felt. There was something else; in the past he had always seen her. His eyes had always found her before she had even turned to him. This time he didn't see her. He wasn't even looking for her. She was no longer the woman he harbored romantic feelings for.

"Here you go." Donny shoved a drink into her hand and Daphne drowned the sweet liquid immediately.

"Whoah!" She turned to him somewhat sheepishly. It had been a long, long time ago that she had gotten drunk because of a boy. Back in Manchester this had happened regularly. The alcohol swept her off her feet, made her smile again. She leaned down and kissed Donny's lips. For a moment his face turned into Niles'.

"Let's show them." Uncertainly, they walked to the dance floor. Daphne stole once last glance at the couple that caused her so much misery. They still didn't see her. The realization that Niles might never look at her that same way again hurt her more than anything else at that moment ever could.

_TBC_


	9. Rule VIII: We Don't Hurt Each Other

**A/N: **Once again, I am truly sorry for not updating sooner. As always, I want to thank everyone who reviewed last time. You guys are all awesome Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Rule VIII: We Don't Hurt Each Other **

With his eyes closed, Niles swayed. This wasn't dancing. The last time he had danced – really danced – had been with Daphne. The thought surprised him. His eyes opened on their own accord and it was just like waking from a dream. He was suddenly aware of Roz in his arms and it didn't seem real. His eyes, ever searching, found Daphne. She, too, was on the dance floor and as luck had it, she looked at him as well. For a moment Niles felt like she was a stranger. He had never seen that expression on her face; it was like seeing her for the first time. He tried a smile, but felt it die before it ever reached his lips. Much like their love story. They had never had one (they never would, it occurred to him). It had ended before it had ever begun. Life's tragedy was that just because you fell in love with someone, it didn't mean they felt the same way. Even if they did, who was to say it would end happily? Life wasn't a great piece of literature; it wasn't even a romantic movie. It was plain old routine, a mundane string of coincidences. Otherwise he and Roz wouldn't have happened. There was something tugging at his insides that felt like heartburn. His eyes were still on Daphne as his hands touched Roz. The dress under his fingers reminded him of the woman over there. Was she thinking about their dance, too? When Daphne had seen Roz in this dress – had she remembered their dance or did she no longer remember?

"I can actually hear you thinking." Roz whispered against his neck. Her breath tickled him and she made him feel warm in all the right (and the wrong) places.

"I was thinking we could just leave." This wasn't a lie. Suddenly the room just felt too small to contain Daphne and Roz. Niles simply couldn't breathe properly. His feelings seemed to be spluttered all over the dance floor. Daphne's expression was etched on his memory and he had to make it go away. Roz had been such a great distraction. If only the guilt would loosen its grip on him for she looked at him with such soft eyes that Niles realized what a jerk he could be (always had been). Many times he had accused Roz of using men, but what if they had all been like him? Maybe she had looked at them like she was staring at him now. He couldn't hurt her deliberately, because hurting her would cause him pain as well. They had stepped over some invincible line and he was caught up in this mess.

"It's because of Daphne, isn't it?" Roz couldn't believe she said that. Her voice was unsteady and she immediately stood up straighter. Just because she was developing feelings for him didn't mean she would let him see them. Opening up meant getting hurt. Of all the people who had ever hurt her, she had never thought that Niles could be one of them. He never seemed important enough. Before.

"No, it's not. I-I-I just don't know why we should stay. I want to be alone with you." Niles told her, looking deeply into her eyes. Her eyes had a peculiar color. Not quite green, but not brown either. Ever-changing, just like her. He smiled softly and confused the woman in front of him even more.

"You don't." she said matter-of-factly.

"I do."

"No, you don't. You want to be alone with her." Roz tried not to be the jealous girlfriend, because she wasn't his girlfriend. Her jealousy was supposed to be her secret. She was doing all of this wrong, but unlike her daughter she couldn't just break down crying and lie on the floor until someone picked her up to comfort her. She was a grown-up. Or something similar to one.

"What brought this on? Have I said anything? I am here with _you_."

"You were thinking about her."

"I can't deny that. But you have no idea what I was thinking about." Roz snorted and turned away from him. It hit her that they were about to make a scene in the middle of the dance floor. Daphne and Donny, still in each other's arm, were looking over. Ever since she'd known her, Roz had liked Daphne. She had been a wonderful friend to her, someone who would always accept her just the way she was. Being jealous of her changed all that. Suddenly her innocent expression drove her crazy. Her considerate manner made Roz furious. It was all because of Niles. He was to blame for all of this. His stupid plan, his stupid love for this woman. Tears welled up in Roz, because she hadn't wanted any of this. This always happened; somewhere she always missed a step and felt too much. Without any hope of a happy ending, she fell in love. The word was like a slap and she recoiled. Concern spread over Niles' face and he gently touched her arm. His fingers played over her skin like he was touching a piano. Heat shot through her and she couldn't stop staring into his eyes. Roz had never had strong willpower; how could she say no to this? To something that made her feel this good?

"Let's go then." She pushed the words out. For a moment Niles didn't move, because he couldn't believe it. He wasn't used to this; it felt like a power. Maris had always dismissed whatever he'd suggested. His wife had stifled him in every way possible. So he had reached out to find a woman who was everything she was not. He had found Daphne. In his mind, she would forever be the most wonderful, the most caring person he had ever met. But now there was Roz, too. At first glance, she had been nothing to him. A friend, maybe, a distraction definitely. Suddenly, she was so much more. His hand reached out and found hers. She was warm, she was real. This, however, was not. Not yet. Suddenly, Niles wanted nothing more than to make it real. Could they really be something? His heart leaped at the prospect. Something new. Maybe something beautiful. He had to make peace with his missed chances. He had to accept that he had never told Daphne about his feelings. Maybe there had been a reason. Maybe Roz was that reason.

"Are you sure?"

"Niles, this isn't brain surgery."

"For me it is." Niles admitted shyly.

"Let's just go." Roz tucked at his hand. Suddenly there were Daphne and Donny again. They were swaying gently, but looking at them. They didn't fit together, it occurred to Roz. She wondered whether she and Niles looked as wrong as they did. It pained her. For once she wanted to belong to someone and have it be right. Deep down she knew it couldn't be with Niles. They had started this the wrong way. There were so many obstacles in their way; so many emotions that had nothing to do with each other. She looked at their entwined hands. How strange simple things could be.

"What's the matter?" Niles asked. He wasn't looking at Daphne, but at Roz. She couldn't believe it and waited. She counted seconds, she counted moments. Why are you not looking at her? She screamed at Niles mentally. He didn't hear her, he didn't react. His eyes were fixated on her. Only her.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." As they left however, Roz felt Daphne's eyes on her. She had seen something there just a moment ago. Regret, perhaps. A realization of sorts. Maybe Niles hadn't been the only one with a secret crush. The thought made her sick.

* * *

"You have to leave." Roz pushed at Niles' naked body next to hers. She didn't know what time it was and she didn't care. His kisses and caresses had made her forget earlier that night– for a moment. Sleeping with Niles was something she could get used to. But she wouldn't. Niles, like any man, had fallen asleep quickly. Roz hadn't been able to. She had thought of Alice and how she wanted to keep her daughter away from her complicated love life. So she had made a decision: Niles had to leave. Sleeping next to him was as great as having sex with him, but there was someone more important to consider.

"What?" Niles' voice was muffled.

"You can't sleep here. You have to leave."

"Why?" Niles was slowly waking up. With his hair all mussed up, he looked incredibly cute. Roz liked him much better that way. He looked like a normal guy and not some anal snob who worried about lint on a chair.

"Because I say so." She pushed him and he almost fell out of the bed. Niles remembered nights when Maris had kicked him out, too. He was amazed how much it actually hurt. Without a word, he got out of the bed and dressed silently. It was a scene he was sure Roz had directed many, many times. A man dressing in the darkness while she watched from the bed, waiting for him to leave. Somehow it cheapened everything that had happened before and it angered Niles.

Roz on the other hand felt Niles' absence in the bed painfully. She wanted him to stay. She wanted to wake up next to him. Unfortunately, she knew how lovely it was. She couldn't think about it. It was way too dangerous. And too painful.

"Well, good night then." Niles carefully leaned over and kissed her on the lips. Roz almost grabbed him and dragged him back to bed. She knew it would only cause them pain and she couldn't do that. This was the end, she knew. It was something she had decided. Niles didn't know it, yet, but he would soon. They couldn't keep doing this. Roz didn't say anything, because she knew she'd choke on even the smallest word. She just lay back down and turned away from him. The moments that passed were like little stabs into her heart. Niles didn't leave right away. He stared at her, waited. He considered something, but nothing happened. He wasn't the kind of man who fought for something like this. She probably wasn't important enough anyway. Roz felt the tears sting in her eyes, but she wouldn't cry with him in the room. Finally, he left. The silence was loud, the pain profound. Roz buried her face in the pillow that still smelled like Niles and finally cried.

_TBC _


	10. Rule IX: We Don't Say Goodbye

**Rule IX: We Don't Say Goodbye**

* * *

Outside, Niles shivered. He hated night time. The darkness, the cold. Quickly, he disappeared into his car. His heart beat too fast, but it was slowing down now that he felt somewhat safer. His fancy car and his slim figure were always putting him at risk for a crime. And this paranoia distracted him from what was really going on in his mind: Roz. For Niles her sending him away just didn't make any sense. All he knew was that it hurt him deeply. But that wasn't all there was to it; it made him angry, too. Without realizing it, he stared at her closed windows. There was no light inside. She probably went right back to sleep. Niles on the other hand couldn't imagine peaceful sleep at the moment. He didn't even know what time it was and he realized he wasn't wearing his watch. He had left it at Roz'. So Niles finally started the car. The little clock appeared and told him that it was 4.42 a.m. He sighed deeply. Sleep was out of the question now, since he would have to get up at 7 anyway. He craved coffee and a good, sophisticated conversation. As he steered his car away from where he really wanted to be, he decided that his big brother would have to get up early today, too.

Niles used the key to Frasier's apartment. Given how often he visited them, he didn't use the key very frequently. Someone was always home. In the past, he had almost always shown up when he knew Daphne would be there as well. This time he had to use the key. The apartment lay silent and Niles felt like an intruder. He should have considered going home first and not just because he was wearing last night's clothes. Emotionally exhausted, he sat down on the couch. Deep down, he knew why he had come here: he didn't want to be alone. But he was. They were still asleep or maybe not even home. Who knew where Frasier had gone with his date and Daphne might have spent the night at Donny's. Unprotected by Roz, Niles couldn't help but think about the looks he'd exchanged with Daphne the night before. Maybe she wasn't happy with Donny. Not too long ago this thought would have almost made him happy, because it would have given him hope. Now it just hurt; he wanted her to be happy. Just like he wanted to be happy himself. As it seemed, the concept didn't seem to be in his future.

"Dr. Crane?" An uncertain voice; the sound of an angel. Niles turned his head to see the silhouette of Daphne. It was still too dark here as the sun had not yet come up.

"Did I wake you?" He asked in a whisper.

"No, you didn't," she admitted. She came closer and Niles saw that she was wrapped in a bathrobe. As he saw him looking at her, she pulled it closer around herself. Niles blushed and turned away.

"But what are you doing here, Dr. Crane? Are you- is everything alright?" Her accent was thicker in the middle of the night. Niles was certain he had woken her and he felt the familiar bile of guilt come up inside of him.

"I'm so sorry I woke you, Daphne. I know I shouldn't have come here, I just-"

"You didn't wake me."

"But why else would you be awake?" She didn't answer. When it came to her, Niles was always more perceptive. Watching her for years, he had come to interpret every little thing about her. He had always tried to see a grain of hope for them, but in the end he had gotten to know her. The secret her, the woman she didn't want everyone to see. She didn't know he knew her like that. With a little distance, he suddenly realized what a terrible coward he had been all these years.

"I couldn't sleep." Daphne told him truthfully. Suddenly, she was no longer sitting next to him. It seemed as if she couldn't.

"Do you want a coffee? A sherry maybe?" She asked, standing in front of him as if she were a maid who was required to cater to his every need.

"No, no, thank you. Sit back down, Daphne. It's the middle of the night." With some reluctance, she did as he said. In the darkness surrounding him, Niles' senses were heightened. His nose and memories formed an ally – against him. He was no longer able to control his emotions, to distract himself from feeling what he'd been feeling since the day he'd first seen her. Images burnt before his eyes. She was in all of them. Her scent filled his nostrils and he could hardly take it.

"Dr. Crane, are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Daphne." He choked out. He was anything but ok. Why had Roz sent him away? He never would have come here if she hadn't. They could have started something beautiful; they had already started it, but she had put it on hold. Now his memories were betraying him; Daphne with her beautiful smile, her tantalizing scent.

"Why aren't you…" She didn't finish the sentence, because she knew it wasn't her concern. Nonetheless, Niles knew what she was asking without her saying the words. What he didn't know was why. The memories piled up inside of him. They made him turn to her, but all he saw was her silhouette. All he saw was what his mind was telling him. Her scent, the years they had spent together as friends. The years he had hoped for something more. They all came tumbling down on him now. Why had Roz sent him away? Why was Daphne here with him now?

"Do you think it's… strange that Roz and I are dating?"

"No, no of course not." Her answer was too rushed to be truthful.

"Why?" Niles simply asked. He wasn't sure whether he could say more words. Outside the darkness fought with the beginnings of a new day. It was true what they said, he realized: it's always darkest before the dawn.

"I-I don't know what you mean, Dr. Crane." She stumbled over the words and the instinct to just run away intensified. Something held her back; maybe it was because she hated keeping a secret and she despised feeling this confused. When she'd seen Niles and Roz dancing, she'd felt a sense of loss. Things had changed. Before last night she hadn't known; the possibility of Dr. Crane feeling anything but friendship and loyalty for her had not made it itself consciously known. Then the movie of their years together had started playing and suddenly the puzzle had turned into a clear image. She'd seen the whole picture but – had she really? The need to know was stronger than anything else.

"It just happened, you know. We didn't plan it. But I guess love –" Niles chocked on the word; he hadn't meant it, now, had he? He wasn't in love with Roz. He was in love with Daphne; he had been ever since he'd first laid his eyes on her.

"You love her." The words constricted Daphne's throat. This was her answer, but still she couldn't leave. Outside, the battle between darkness and light was still going strong. Inside, Daphne feared the darkness had already won.

"I-I-I don't… know. No, I don't love her I- it's complicated."

"Feelings aren't complicated, Dr. Crane!" The outburst came violently and quickly. Daphne felt the rage inside of her.

"You _know_ what's in your heart and then- then you tell the person you love."

"Daphne, are _you_ ok?" In an instant, Niles was next to Daphne. Whatever conflicting emotions he had in his heart, he cared for her deeply.

"I'm – I thought I saw something last night. I-I don't know how to explain it." Daphne stole herself away from Niles' close proximity. She crossed her arms in front of her, defensively, but the bad feelings had already found their way through every shield of amour she could yield. In her attempt to get away from him, she had stepped in front of the balcony. And she was caught between the early rays of light out there. Niles finally saw her. Saw the turmoil that was keeping her up; similar to his own, he figured, but he couldn't understand why.

"What did you see?" He asked carefully. In his mind, he replayed the evening. The memory of her looking at him – through him – was still fresh on his mind.

"I was tired, Dr. Crane. I guess last night reminded me of a little bit of the Snow Ball."

"Me, too." He answered without hesitation. His heart led him closer to where she was and trying to find the right words, she didn't think of moving away. As if on instinct, Niles leaned in and caught a whiff of her scent. This time he noticed and she startled.

"I knew you'd love Roz in that dress, because it was so similar to the one I wore that night," she took a deep breath; this was the moment of truth and she needed the status quo just a moment longer. It could end everything, because where would this lead? What beginning could come out of this? "I thought it was the dress – that night. I thought everything you said was a lie, because if I had allowed myself to believe it…"

"You could have believed it." Torn between a statement and an expression of wonderment, Niles' reply hung in the air for mere seconds. A moment later he had to know; had to find out if there ever could have been more. Maybe he had been wrong all those years and Daphne wasn't the love of his life. The moments he'd shared with Roz could have been a beautiful distraction, or the real thing. Either way, he was about to find out. In the darkness, in the sanctity of this confined space, Niles leaned forward and captured Daphne's lips with his own.

_TBC_


	11. Rule X: No Expectations

A million things ran through Niles' mind as his lips touched Daphne's. They were cheating. They were hurting people. This wasn't right. He had forgotten his watch at Roz' place. The sun was about to come up. Not once did he think 'this is beautiful'. Not once did he feel like they were doing the right thing. His hands were around Daphne's waist. She was warm, she was soft. She was real. Somehow, the situation was not. His tongue felt foreign and his lips frozen. A crack somewhere in the distance; maybe his heart breaking. Suddenly, light flooded the room and they separated as if hit by lightning.

"Niles?" The genuine surprise in Frasier's voice made Niles feel guilty. He had no idea what his brother had seen or if he'd seen anything at all. There was no telling how long Niles and Daphne had kissed. Time had just stopped. Everything had stopped it seemed.

"Good morning, Frasier."

"Well, yeah. What are you doing here so early?"

"I-I-I needed to talk to you about something."

"At this ungodly hour? Are you out of your mind – are you drunk?"

"No. No not at all. I couldn't – I couldn't sleep. Daphne here… Daphne couldn't sleep either." Frasier observed the unlikely couple. For a psychiatrist with exceptional empathy he could be rather dense sometimes. For he often missed the little details, the small momentums between the people closest to him. He was too immersed in his own affairs to see others.

"I can see that."

"I'll start on your breakfast right away, Dr. Crane." Finally Daphne saw a way to get out of this room, away from Niles and unasked questions and unshared feelings. Much to her chagrin, Frasier stopped her.

"Don't bother. I think Niles will spring for breakfast this morning." The younger man nodded. Frasier shot them one last look before he disappeared again to get ready. Niles knew that no matter what his brother had seen or not seen, he would get to hear about the early visit the whole day. The room lay in silence again. With the artificial light surrounding them, there was no way to hide anymore. Daphne's eyes were opened widely as if she'd seen a ghost.

"Daphne, I-" She held up her hand to stop him. There was nothing he could say. She knew him well enough; he would apologize, put all the blame on himself. She was to blame, too. Even if he had started the kiss, she had readily participated. Now they were partners, she realized bitterly. But only partners in crime. Two people who had cheated on people they loved. Daphne felt the pain in her chest and it felt so real. She knew it wasn't. A heart didn't break. All of this was in her head and she was beginning to believe that whatever feelings beyond friendship she'd felt for Niles had only been in her head, too.

"Please, I need to tell you something. It's important." Niles' voice was more urgent than Daphne had ever heard it. Part of her was curious to hear what he had to tell her. Then again she'd been on this side of an affair a time or two and she didn't care. She loved Dr. Niles Crane for the friendship that they'd built. In her eyes, he could hardly do any wrong. She was simply afraid to hear his excuses, because she didn't know what to expect.

"Not now. Not- no, I don't want to hear it. This was such a big mistake. I'm with Donny!" As she said the words out loud, the impact hit her. In all of this, she had hardly thought of him. He had always been on her mind, but not really present. Like a fixture. Like Niles had been before all of this. Before he had started dating Roz. Suddenly, anger came over her. Had he only told her sooner. Had he ever made a pass at her – would they still be standing here?

"Daphne, please. This is all a big misunderstanding. I never meant to- " He stopped mid-sentence and he was just as surprised as she was, because he looked as if he'd just realized something. His eyes met hers and suddenly they seemed so far away. Daphne wanted to take it all back. Tell him to tell her whatever it was he meant to tell her, but she knew it was too late. This moment, as so many before, had already passed. Yet another missed chance, another maybe. Another what if.

Without another word, he walked away from her. At first she was certain he would leave the apartment, so she was surprised when he sat down on the couch. There was some book on the coffee table that most likely belonged to Dr. Crane and he opened it. He sat there as if nothing had happened between them. Daphne felt the tears in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not that Niles was looking at her. She turned around silently and simply left. Had she turned around once more, she would have seen Niles stare after her with a sad expression.

Unsurprisingly, Nervosa was almost completely empty when Niles and Frasier entered. Knowing them and their usual time, even the waiters seemed perplexed. Niles slumped down in a chair, exhausted. Frasier eyed him warily before he ordered their coffees and some breakfast for himself. He didn't think about asking his brother. Just by looking at him, he could tell that he wasn't hungry. If Niles hadn't always had an inclination for drama and exaggeration, he would have been worried about his little brother.

"So you wanted to talk to me, or was that just-"

"No." The forcefulness of Nile's reply startled them both. There was so much darkness and confusion in Niles at the moment, he couldn't even think about being polite. Immediately, he felt the need to apologize to Frasier, but somehow the words just wouldn't come. A moment of awkward silence passed between them until Frasier decided to be the bigger man and just see past it.

"Well then. What happened?" Niles chuckled and it was that moment when Frasier really thought something was wrong with his brother. He didn't chuckle or giggle normally. Not like that.

"If only I knew!"

"What do you mean?"

"Roz threw me out this morning." When the words were out, Niles was no longer sure he wanted his brother to know this. The whole relationship had begun as a farce and Frasier and Roz were friends after all. There had been moments when Niles had wondered if there ever could be more between them. Maybe there could have been; once. Maybe they'd just had as many missed opportunities as him and Daphne.

"Did you have a fight?"

"No, nothing of the sort. She just- she just said I couldn't stay. This never happened before."

"You often spend the night?" Niles tried to dissect Frasier's curiosity from the slight pang of disappointment. His brother had never believed the unlikely couple was dating. Niles had just provided him undeniable proof.

"That's beside the point now, is it? She didn't say why, she didn't-"

"What do you want me to say to you? That she never does these things? Niles, you know Roz."

"No, I don't. I really don't." He said miserably.

"Niles, can I ask you a question?" Instead of answering, Niles took a sip from his coffee and nodded without looking at his brother.

"You and Roz, is that – did you two – you didn't get into this "relationship" because of mutual attraction, did you?"

"No." Niles answered sheepishly. He had nothing left to lose; talking to Frasier had helped him before. Sometimes his brother saw things differently and he had the slight hope that this could do the trick. Because Niles was done. He no longer knew what he was feeling. He had no idea where he'd gone wrong – and how to make everything better again. Somewhere in his mind he registered Frasier's sigh of relief.

"But then I- I think I have feelings for her, Frasier." Despite knowing that his little brother was a terrible liar, Frasier wouldn't have believed him had he not looked at him like that. A broken man, who had a dream taken away from him. He had always suspected that his attraction for Daphne was nothing but an idea, a way to distract himself from his miserable marriage. Now that he had proof however, he didn't feel any better.

"You – WHAT?"

"Shhh," Niles looked around the small café that was slowly filling up with other early morning visitors. "Something happened just before you walked into the living room. With Daphne." Frasier didn't like where this was going. Daphne and Donny seemed happy. To his greatest surprise, he felt angry with his little brother, because whatever had happened between him and Daphne, he was seeing Roz at the moment which meant he had hurt her.

"I'm not sure I want to know."

"I kissed her," Niles said, ignoring his brother's words. He took a huge sip from his coffee and let the hot liquid burn his tongue a bit. At least it distracted him for a second from his problems and his emotional turmoil.

"And it only made me realize one thing,"

"Niles, shut up," Frasier whispered forcefully, but Niles no longer heard him. He had to get this out, to make it palpable somehow.

"I have feelings for Roz."

"You idiot." Frasier mumbled and tried to hide behind his coffee cup. Niles stared at his brother. It seemed as if he had missed something important, but he couldn't tell what. His heart pounded loudly in his chest, because he had finally admitted to someone that this thing between him and Roz was no longer just a distraction, a means to make Daphne realize what he felt for her. It was something so much more complicated.

"You forgot your watch." Niles didn't need to turn around to recognize Roz' voice. His watch made a metallic noise as it landed right before his eyes. When he turned around, Roz was already leaving again. He had never even seen her face. He felt the need to go after her, but he didn't have it in him. Whether it was Daphne or Roz, he never had the guts to let his heart guide the way.

"How much did she hear?" He choked out.

"I don't know." Frasier answered truthfully, which meant Niles would have to find out himself.

The hard way.

_TBC_

**A/N:** First of all, thanks to everyone who is still reading this. I realize most people have lost interest – and I'm sorry about that. We're almost at the end, so YAY! As for the N/D shippers, don't be worried (not too much anyway). I know what I'm doing. Thanks for reading.


	12. Rule XI: This is How it Ends… (Part I)

**A/N**: Sorry for the long delay. Blame the car that hit me and made it impossible for me to write. Anyway, thanks for all the lovely reviews. I'm really thankful for you guys. And this is almost the end!

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"Well, don't you want to go after her?" Frasier almost yelled at his brother. He nearly got up himself. He had never seen that expression on Roz. Her face had been a picture of hurt and surprise and something else he couldn't put his finger on. And all of this was because of Niles. Lately, he remembered the days when he'd first come back to Seattle. His brother and his new, quite strange coworker hadn't liked each other at all. Had they? Had there been signs he just hadn't seen? It was too long ago now and in the end it didn't matter. All this time he was scared Niles would make a mistake with Daphne. Asking her out, proclaiming his love for her – or even start an affair with her. Frasier had put all his energy in preventing Niles from destroying the relationship they all had with Daphne. In doing so, Niles and Roz had found each other in some way. Another relationship ruined, another heart broken. There was an unnatural taste in his mouth; it almost tasted like guilt, like a catastrophe.

"I-you think I should?" Niles was a broken man. The woman he had spent most of his life with had treated him worse than a dog. The moment he started to be confident about something – someone – he just didn't know how to handle it.

"Of course!" With a nod of appreciation, Niles ran after Roz. Frasier watched in wonderment. He took a sip from his coffee to lose this strange taste, this inconvenient feeling. It wasn't his brother he was thinking of at that moment. If he were honest, he was scared of losing Roz. As a coworker, as a friend and… and as whatever they could have been once. Maybe. He finished his coffee and left as well. The bitter taste stayed with him all the while.

Roz was much faster than Niles and she'd had a head start. Sweat was covering Niles' forehead as he tried to catch up with her. There didn't seem to be enough air.

"Roz." He tried to yell, but it came out almost a whisper. Niles wanted to stop, to sit down – to _breathe_. Something inside of him made him go on. Finally, she slowed down. She didn't turn around and she didn't stop. With his last bout of strength he reached her. His hand touched her shoulder.

"Roz." Niles said breathlessly, but she didn't turn around. The scene seemed like a nightmare; he couldn't see her face, he didn't find the words. His shins hurt from walking too fast, his lungs couldn't fill with air fast enough. There was a grey veil before his eyes. A moment longer and he was certainly going to faint.

"I don't want to talk to you now."

"You didn't want to talk to me last night either." He told her. They were in the middle of the street and people were looking at them. Niles was not used to that kind of attention and he didn't like it one bit. "Can you at least look at me?" Slowly, Roz turned around. He had never seen her cry before. His breath left him again, but this time it was the impact of the situation. He wanted to take her into his arms, tell her everything would be alright. He knew she wouldn't let him, so he ignored it.

"I knew right from the beginning this was a mistake." Roz told him. Her eyes never stayed long on him; she watched the people passing them by. Young, old, some curious, some oblivious to their presence. This was an unusual way to end things, Roz realized. Out here they would not be able to show their true emotions. They could hide behind strangers, behind everything else that was going on. After all, they had started this relationship under similar circumstances.

"It wasn't a mistake – it isn't. I don't know what you heard-"

"I heard enough." Niles had feared as much. This had all been a ploy to get him and Daphne together and he had kissed her. How could he now tell her that it had meant nothing to him? At least not what he thought it would mean.

"Listen, Roz, I was just confused because you threw me out and I wanted to talk to Frasier about it. I couldn't have known Daphne would be awake."

"What does Daphne have to do with this?" Niles startled. If she didn't know he'd kissed Daphne, then why was she so upset? All he'd said was that he had feelings for her.

"Nothing. She no longer has anything to do with this," he touched her arm, but she pulled away from him.

"She is the reason we started this."

"But she's not the reason we continued. She is not the reason why we're standing here right now. Why are you so angry, Roz?" For a moment, she just stood there. Her watery eyes were fixated on his. Such beautiful eyes, he thought once again. So fierce. So determined.

"We can't do this. We never should have tried this- this scheme!"

"But look what it made us realize." Niles said softly. Again, he tried to touch her. But she wouldn't let him. As much as it pained her, she knew that it would be even harder to say what she had to say if she let him touch her. He had already touched too much; he had already touched her heart.

"It made me realize that this was a stupid idea." The pain in Niles' eyes was like a slap. 'I'm doing this for you,' Roz thought sadly. She bit her lower lip to stop herself from crying.

"No, Roz, I-"

"We entered this relationship to break two people up. We both pretended to be with each other so we could be with other people. Does that sound like something that has a future to you?"

"No, but-"

"There is no 'but', Niles. I'm sorry it didn't work. Believe me, I am. I didn't think I could actually – just because you can't have Daphne, I won't be your second choice."

"You're not my second choice. That's what I'm trying to tell you! I have feelings for you."

"You don't. That's what I'm trying to tell _you_."

"Don't tell me what I feel, Roz. Everyone is always trying to tell me what I should do – what I should feel. Frasier kept telling me I had no feelings for Daphne. That all I ever felt for her was attraction, a way to distract myself from my terrible marriage. I never got the chance to find out what we could have been. But I got to find out what you and I could be." The words tore at Roz' determination. They sounded so beautiful. They sounded so great. But they were all lies. She was not the woman who was in his heart. There would always be a 'what it' with them, whether he realized it or not.

"I can't do this, Niles. I just can't."

"I just want to know – do you have feelings for me?" How easy it would be to shatter the hope in his eyes. Roz had never seen him like this. She had never seen him fight for anything. Whenever he'd had a chance with Daphne, he had backed away. His cowardice had always won. In the end, he always crawled back to his wife, his loneliness or his excuses. But this time he was standing in front of her – her, of all people – and he was at his most vulnerable. Yes, it would be easy to shatter his hope. To break his heart. To end all of this with a clear, fine cut. She hesitated, because it hurt so much. In his eyes she could see a future. A future she had never dared to dream about. A life together. Children. But this was a lie; this wasn't her life. As badly as she wanted it at that moment, even with him, she knew this wasn't it. This wasn't her life. It wasn't their future. How easy it would be…

"Roz, please, do you have feelings for me?" She wasn't as blessed with words as he was, but she didn't need many words to kill this relationship. She opened her mouth. The letters came together, but she didn't make a sound. The only sound to be heard was Niles' cell phone. It rang violently in his pocket. He ignored it, but she couldn't.

"Answer it." Not the words she meant to say, nor the words he needed to hear. The ringing didn't stop and without taking his eyes off her, he took it out and answered it. Roz saw the change in his stance, in his eyes. Something had happened.

"I'll be right there." He clicked the phone shut.

"What is it?" His tears filled with tears, but he put on a smile. A sad smile that didn't reach his eyes. His voice trembled when he told her:

"It's Daphne."

_TBC_


	13. Rule XII: …like we never began at all

**A/N**: This is the last chapter! Except for one thing: read note at the end. Thanks once again for all of you lovely people who kept reading and reviewing. It was a long road (but I did warn you!). I hope you enjoyed the ride.

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There were no words spoken as Niles put his phone back into his pocket. His hands trembled, but he did not waste another moment. His strides were so unlike him: quick and long. Roz followed him silently, matching his pace without any problem. Her heart went out to him as her mind went crazy. Daphne could have had an accident. It seemed the only possibility. Niles hadn't specified and at the moment Roz was too scared to ask. She was certain he didn't even know she was following him. This was exactly what she had tried to make him understand. As badly as he wanted to have feelings for Roz, Daphne would always be there on his mind, in his heart. Her own feelings in all of this surprised her. How hard it had been to not tell him that she did feel something for him. She could no longer deny it, not even to herself. The pain she felt was for him. Here he was, hurrying to help the woman he couldn't help but love. Just her luck that it wasn't her and never could be. But here she was, running after him in much the same fashion. Running after a man who could never love her the way he wanted to love her. The way she deserved to be loved. When he blindly reached for her hand, Roz took it without thinking about it. 'I'm his friend, too', she told herself. It was only half the truth, but for the moment it eased the pain.

"They were like this when I got here." Frasier explained as he opened the door for Niles and Roz. He looked at his co-worker and friend, who dodged his eyes, suspiciously for a moment. Her own eyes quickly scanned the room. Daphne was on the couch wearing sweatpants. But she was crying and hiding her face in her hands. Donny paced around nervously, occasionally glancing at Daphne and muttering gibberish. There were shattered fragments on the floor from what might have been plates once. Deep in her stomach, Roz had a weird feeling about this. Her first instinct was to go to Daphne, but she hesitated for a moment, because she was no longer sure of the state of their friendship. The same was true for Niles, who still stood next to her. He seemed to be frozen in place. But Roz wasn't. No one else was doing anything, so she went to Daphne after all. Her friend leaned against her and it was only then that Roz saw _it_. The rage she felt surprised her. She put one arm around Daphne, knowing the comfort wouldn't be enough.

"How could you do this?" Roz asked with a dark voice. At first no one seemed to know who she was talking to. Niles and Frasier exchanged a look. But she wasn't looking at either of them. She was glancing at Donny. It was the moment that Niles noticed Roz' aggressive stance. And there was something else. Daphne shifted one hand away from her face and Niles thought he was going to faint. Not because of the blood; it was because of what it meant.

"Daphne…" He whispered painfully, but no one heard him.

"It was an accident, Roz." Daphne told her. Frasier let out a strangled, unnatural sound when he saw Daphne's face. Dark, dry blood clung to her cheeks. Some hair had caught itself in the mess. There was a huge gash on her cheek.

"Never say anything like that, Daphne."

"I cut myself on a piece of glass!" Daphne yelled at Roz. "Donny didn't… he…" But she couldn't talk. All that was left in her were tears.

"Don't defend him." Roz got up too suddenly and felt a wave of nausea; all of this was too much, too soon. And Niles and Frasier just standing there as if nothing had happened angered her even more. She didn't have the strength to yell at them. She sat back down and took Daphne's hand in hers. It was surprisingly warm.

"She's right, Daphne. I should have – I shouldn't have freaked out like that." Donny didn't dare come closer. Even his voice sounded as small as the man himself. Roz didn't find it in herself to feel any pity for him. She had loved this man once. Not so long ago, she wanted to have him back. But what was she after, really? Thinking of Niles, she realized it hadn't been Donny she'd wanted. She wanted a man who loved her for herself. Not for her body, not for her easy ways. A man to build a future with – and to have a family with. She had known all of this before, but it suddenly hit her like a slap.

"It was my fault. I-I-I…" Instead of words, she gave into her tears. It was the moment that Niles realized something. Daphne and Donny had had a fight. The strange feeling in his gut returned. Guilt, so much guilt. Was he to blame for this?

"Is this because of-" He blurted and all eyes landed on him. Roz and Daphne, so close together and they seemed to melt into one woman. Just one. He loved both of them. He would hurt both of them. No matter his words, no matter his actions. There was no way he could prevent the hurt he would cause them.

"Because of what, Niles?" Naturally, Frasier knew how to hit the nerve. After all, he knew what had happened here earlier. But it was Roz' expression that drove the knife into Niles' soul. He had tried so hard to make her understand it was her he wanted. He was as bad as all those other men. Every guy who had ever hurt her, taken another piece of her beautiful soul. He was right in line, right behind them.

"Daphne?" Her tears were everything he needed to know. Only Roz' eyes pleaded him to actually say it.

"You destroyed everything," Donny's voice was no longer small or pitiful, "First you destroyed your own marriage and now you destroyed our happiness."

"Leave him alone, Donny." Roz spat.

"Daphne told me what happened here. You kissed her." Niles didn't look at Donny, or at Daphne. He was fixated on Roz. He was trying to read her expression and found that he couldn't. She didn't move, she didn't show any weakness. Her hand covered Daphne's, protecting her from all of this. Her own pain she hid well.

"But it didn't mean anything!" Niles shouted, still looking at Roz. He knew she wouldn't believe him, but he had to try anyway. There had been so many times when he simply didn't try. When he just hung his head and walked away. Not again, not this time.

"Then why did Daphne tell me we had to end this, because she was confused? Hm? Why does she suddenly have feelings for you?"

"Donny, please." Daphne pleaded. She didn't deserve this. Whatever she and Donny had fought about, it was between them. Niles felt his heart ache. He wanted to comfort Daphne; at the same time he wanted to convince Roz it hadn't meant anything.

"I think you should leave." Frasier said.

"What if I won't?"

"I'll call the police."

"And tell them what?"

"Donny, I think it would be better if you just left. There is – you can sort this out later. When you're both in a different state of mind." For once Niles was glad for his brother's presence. His voice had taken on a soothing character. Sometimes he used that voice with his callers, too, if it was a particular difficult or devastating situation.

"Ha." Donny's anger vanished the moment he looked at Daphne. Not too long ago, Niles would have felt a pang of injustice, of jealousy. Not this time. He felt for Daphne. He felt sorry for another broken couple. So many broken hearts in this living room.

"I-I'm sorry, Daphne. I never," his voice suddenly cracked. Before he let his emotions take over, Donny quickly left the apartment. No one moved for a moment. The only sound Daphne's subsiding sobs.

Frasier gently touched Niles' back and passed by him. They all watched as he gathered a broom from the kitchen and started cleaning up the broken glass on the floor.

"That's my job, Dr. Crane." Daphne tried to pull herself together and failed. Her knees gave in and before she knew it, she was sitting next to Roz again. She couldn't even look at her, Roz realized. She avoided eye contact. That hurt most of all. Eventually they would have to talk about all of this, try to sort it out.

"It's fine, Daphne. You rest now."

"Dr. Crane," but she was addressing the other one. She turned to Niles and looking at her sad, puffy eyes and her swollen face, he almost turned away. "I didn't mean to – I just had to tell Donny." He nodded dumbly. There was no reason for her to apologize for anything.

"We need to – someone should have a look at that gash. A doctor." Niles stammered.

"It's fine." Daphne said, but winced as she touched it.

"Niles is right, Daphne. If you want, I could take you." Roz offered. Daphne didn't even look at her then.

"I'll take her." Frasier said in a tone that left no further discussion. He motioned for Niles to pick up the rest of the glass. He gently offered Daphne a hand and she took it. Frasier helped her into her coat. He treated her like a child – or a little sister. Niles was certain he heard his brother mumble useless, comforting words. They were a comfort, a distraction for him as well. Soon enough they were gone and Niles and Roz were alone once again. Neither knew what to say. Dutifully, Niles picked up the broken glass. At first he'd thought it had been some kind of plate. Now he wasn't sure anymore. It had been something once, but it was unrecognizable. Broken.

"I think Frasier did this on purpose. Leaving us alone." Niles' words cut through the silence. He tried to glance at Roz and he shouldn't have, because at that moment a piece of glass cut right through his skin. Niles immediately looked away, scared to faint right there and then.

"Are you ok?" Roz was by his side in an instant. Her hand felt cool on his skin, but so very soft. She was careful with his hand, with his finger. The lightheadedness hit him unexpectedly. His knees gave in and he knew that feeling from experience. As hard as he fought against it, he knew he was going to lose. Only that Roz wouldn't let him lose. She held him upright and made him sit on a chair.

"You're as white as a sheet." There was concern in her voice as she quickly went to the kitchen. As if in a dream, Niles heard the refrigerator door open and close. Suddenly, Roz was back and handed him a can.

"Drink this."

"Is it my dad's beer, cause-"

"It's not beer, it's soda. Drink." She opened it for him as if he were a child. He carefully gulped down the disgustingly sweet beverage. To his surprise Roz was tending to his small wound. The sugar easily entered his bloodstream and gave him enough energy to watch Roz clean the wound and then put a band-aid over it. He almost asked her if she would kiss it. But he didn't dare and she let go of his hand.

"So you kissed her." Leave it to Roz to just come out with it. Her eyes were unwavering. He thought there would be tears. He expected anger. But she was calm; calmer than he was.

"Roz, I tried to tell you, but-"

"No, first I want to know: did you kiss her?" Niles nodded, ashamed of himself. He had wanted to be a man worthy of Roz. He had stooped as low as all the other guys she had dated. The ones she would date after him as well. They didn't have a future. It was as clear suddenly as the splinters of glass he'd thrown away. They had tried to build something on a lie. On pretense.

"Was it everything you ever wished for?" The smile on Roz' face seemed so honest that Niles startled. He almost missed the glint of sadness, of disappointment there in her eyes. It was too late to tell her that their kiss had been a great disappointment. It hadn't felt like he'd always imagined. They way it had felt once before; the kiss they'd shared at the Snow Ball. But even that had been a lie. More pretense. However, every word, every explanation died on his lips.

"I guessed as much."

"No, Roz. You can't – you don't understand."

"I do understand. Why do you think I threw you out, hm? There is something between the two of you that would always be in the way. Whether it's me or someone else. If you think about it, it's actually quite beautiful." Her voice cracked then, but she immediately covered it with a grin.

"This is not…" Niles stopped himself. Because what if she were right? Niles could fight for Roz – for anyone – but in the end, what if he and Daphne were destined to be together after all? Once he had believed it. The flutter he used to feel when he thought this, it didn't come. For he feared he had lost Daphne. As deep as his feelings for her ran, her friendship was what he had come to love most of all. And now here he was; broken. Just like the glass. There was Roz - and where did they stand now? A few years back, she hadn't played a role in his life. She had burst into it like a tornado. He hadn't asked for it. Most of the time, he hadn't even cared. Now she was one of the most important people in his life. Someone he could have imagined spending the rest of his life with – despite everything.

"We were never friends," Niles' heart broke and it showed in his eyes; Roz took his hand into hers, "we were never friends before this. I hope we can be now. I know it seems strange at the moment, but… in time." He wanted to nod, but he seemed frozen. Any movement would make this real and even though he had admitted his defeat already, he wasn't ready to embrace it just yet.

"You know if I think about you – and all of this – it's weird." Roz said and it seemed so random that Niles felt out of place.

"Weird how?" He asked, his voice unsteady and shaky.

"Well, like this. You have become a habit to me and you know how hard habits are to break. I'm suddenly a chain-smoker and you're the cigarettes. I'm addicted to the way you make me feel, no matter how poisonous it is. You are my poison."

"Wow." Niles said breathlessly.

"I know. You turned me into a sophisticated snob, too." They both chuckled and for a moment they shared this moment, shared this smile. It couldn't last, because nothing ever did. The only solace it brought Niles was that this pain, this hollowness in his heart would eventually fade away as well.

"I'm sorry." He told her honestly.

"No, you're not. You and Frasier are always happy to educate us intellectual inferiors."

"Roz…" Niles pleaded with his eyes, his voice. His soul.

"I know. I'm sorry, too. I hope – I hope you and Daphne will be happy."

"There is no Daphne and me." Roz gently kissed his cheek and smiled at him. 'But there will be', she thought sadly. Daphne was the one with alleged psychic powers, yet it was Roz who saw the future in which they would be together. As she made her way to the door to walk out of this relationship (but not his life; she wasn't that strong), she felt Niles wanting to follow her. Something stopped him. Instead of dread, she felt a strangely happy. He wasn't the man she would spend the rest of her life with, but she had felt loved. Niles had made her remember what that was like – and it was worth everything.

"We're the greatest love story never told." Niles told her from across the room. Roz didn't turn around, because the tears were finally streaming down her face. Such a simple sentence, such a cheesy thing to say. She smiled through her tears, but he saw neither as she finally left.

Niles didn't move for an eternity. Once in a while, he would look at the door expecting someone to walk in. His father. Frasier and Daphne. Roz. She wouldn't return to him. Not as what she'd been. Niles tried to remember the last time they'd kissed and couldn't. Time passed and he felt like he was no longer part of this universe. Somewhere along the line he had lost the sense for time and space. Not knowing how long he'd simply sat there, Niles got up. His weak knees led him outside. There was nowhere to go but home.

"Niles, you're still here?" By chance he met Frasier and Daphne in the lobby of the apartment building. Cleaned up, the gash on her face didn't look so bad and Niles was glad. There was even the hint of a smile on her lips.

"I was just leaving. Roz – she left some time ago." The words were hard to say and he was glad both Frasier and Daphne understood the meaning behind it without him spelling it out.

"I was thinking of taking a walk, because hospitals always make me feel like I can't breathe. Would you like to come with me?" Daphne asked Niles, who looked at his brother. He gave a small nod and just like that it was settled.

For a while, they didn't talk. They just walked next to each other like strangers. Only so much closer. Their hands brushed against each other from time to time. To the rest of the world they must have looked strange; a disheveled man and a woman in sweatpants.

"I'm sorry about you and Roz, Dr. Crane."

"I'm sorry about you and Donny."

"This is quite a mess, isn't it?"

"It is."

"I never meant to – I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. I shouldn't have told Donny. I was just so confused!"

"There's no need to apologize, Daphne. This was all my fault. All of it."

"Why, Dr. Crane?" They had stopped walking. Daphne was holding both of his hands in hers. Her finger accidentally brushed against the band-aid. There was a little sting, but Niles wasn't sure if it was because of the wound – or because of what it represented.

"That's a very long story." He told her – 'And a sad one', he added mentally.

"Well, I have all the time in the world." The smile she gave him was the one he'd fallen in love with once. The one he seemed to have chased for so long. So many things he had given up for it. So much heartbreak on the road to here. Where would it lead? Niles didn't know. Not knowing was something he didn't feel comfortable with. So he concentrated on what he knew; all of this had occurred, because he loved Daphne. In what way, he was no longer certain. However, it didn't change the facts. Here they were together – broken - on a path they could walk together. In the end, Daphne would have to choose. Could she live with a man who had done all of this? Could she maybe love him?

As they walked together, Niles couldn't imagine what their future would look like. He told her everything – from the moment he had first seen her, to the moment he was no longer able to control his jealousy. Each time he mentioned Roz, something tugged at his heart. He didn't know where this would lead him or what part each of these women would play in his life. There was something he did know: they would both be part of it. For the rest of his life.

**END**

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**A/N**: So this is the end - yes, it is. I knew I couldn't keep Niles and Roz together, but I didn't want Niles and Daphne to end up together either. Even though this is the end, there will be an epilogue. You can ignore the epilogue if you want and just consider this the real ending.


	14. Epilogue: No More Rules

**A/N: **So this is REALLY the end. I hope it makes sense as it is not exactly what I meant to write. Also, I apologize for the length. It was supposed to be really short. Now it's this. As always I'd like to thank each and every one of you for reading (and reviewing!).

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"_Can you come pick me up… please?"_

It wasn't the first time he got this message and it wouldn't be the last time – at least not for another couple of months. Part of him couldn't wait for his son to finally be able to drive for himself, because picking him up from the oddest places was getting tiresome. But at least it gave him a few moments in their hectic lives to be together. As soon as David got his driver's license that would be over. With a sigh, Niles got into the car. He felt tired, exhausted really. For a moment he wondered whether he should call Daphne and ask her to pick up their son. She, Roz and Alice were out shopping. However, David had called _him_. The trust his son put in him never ceased to amaze Niles. So he turned on the radio, switched it to his favorite classical music station and started the car. By now, he knew the way by heart.

David waited where he always waited. Niles recognized his son from a distance. The boy had grown so much in the last few years it seemed. He had always been quite tall – sometimes Niles blamed Daphne for that – but now he seemed so out of place. No longer just his son, but a man in his own right. At least if it weren't for the still innocent, naïve expression on his face that he tried to hide with his shaggy blond hair. The girls loved him for that look – and David loved driving them crazy.

"Thanks dad." David said with his deep voice that didn't seem to belong to him. To Niles he would forever be a little boy with golden hair and eyes so blue they were almost transparent. But he had to make peace with the fact that the small, shy boy had grown into this lanky young man who made his own decisions. Some of which Niles couldn't agree with.

"How did you end up here?" Niles knew the answer, but he wanted his son to say the words. He took a moment before he replied.

"I came to see Lisa."

"Didn't you say the other day that you broke up?" David and Lisa were having an on and off again relationship for over a year now. It put a strain on everything, including their family life. For reasons David didn't know about. But for Niles and Daphne it was a painful reminder of another time.

"We did, but… you know." And Niles did know. It seemed as if his son was living the life he'd once lived himself. Only that David didn't know it. He was too young; too young to know and too young to go through this himself.

"And what about you and… Jenny." When Niles found out about his son dating two girls at the same time, he had been angry with David. But most all of disappointed. All the explanations his son threw at him didn't make it better. And in a quiet moment, after his confession, Daphne and Niles had shared a look. The pain was still there; no matter how many years had passed. They could have avoided almost destroying their unique friendship. Niles could have prevented hurting Roz. David knew none of this. Roz was part of his extended family, just like Alice. It had never occurred to Niles that one day he would tell him about their complicated past. But as they sat there in the car – not for the first time, and most likely not for the last – he realized that maybe his experiences could help David.

"Dad, please don't. I love – well, I like them both. I like them both a lot. You wouldn't understand."

"I do understand, David. I understand it better than you think I do."

"Yeah, right." David mumbled. Niles felt anger seep through his every pore and so he stopped the car.

"What are you doing?" His son freaked.

"I'm stopping the car. We need to talk about his, David."

"We have. Not every kid would tell their parents that they're dating two girls," He almost yelled and Niles knew he was right; even if his son was making mistakes, he was never afraid to tell them about it. It made Niles proud that their son trusted them unconditionally. "You and mom said this was my decision. I'm old enough you said." It was true; they had told David that he was old enough, because he was almost a man. But neither had really believed it. When was anyone really old enough to make decisions? Especially when it came to matters of the heart? Both Daphne and Niles had known that forbidding him to date wouldn't have done any good. So they'd put their trust in him.

"I don't – your mother and I know that it's your decision. This is not about me telling you what to do," As much as he wanted to. The words were there. They were screams, they were orders. "This is me telling you that I've been there." The look in David's eyes betrayed him. He didn't believe him. Children have a hard time accepting truths about their parents, Niles reminded himself. He had gone through this himself with his parents. But David had learned a long time ago that his father wasn't perfect. A rite of passage every child went through at some point. Niles still remembered Frasier being worried about it with Frederick. Such small problems, but they had been so enormous once.

"I can tell you don't believe me, but let me tell you a story," Niles ignored his son's sigh, "It was long before you were born obviously. As you know, I was married before your mother."

"Yeah, to that stick in the photos." When he was still a young child, David had loved looking at old pictures. Surprisingly, there were a lot with Maris in them. The young boy had thought her funny. He had always called her "stick".

"Maris, yes. I was married to her, but ever since I'd seen your mother… my marriage was doomed. Looking back now, I know we never should have gotten married. I mean I loved her in a way, but – this is beside the point. I was in love with your mother for a long time, but I never told her. You never met him, but for a while your mother was dating this lawyer called Donny. It's funny really, because he was an ex-boyfriend of Roz'." Niles chuckled. All of this had happened to so long ago and yet the memories seemed so vivid, so close to his heart.

"So?"

"Yes, sorry. So you see, there was a moment when both Roz and I were really sad about the two of them dating-"

"That's disgusting, dad! Roz is like my aunt." David's eyes grew wide and he wore a repulsed expression.

"Let me finish the story. So these two were dating and Roz and I had this plan," A stupid plan. So juvenile and in the end, so heartbreaking, "We would pretend to be dating and make them jealous."

"If you really think this is the same as me and the girls-" For some reason David had inherited his uncle's notion that it was alright to interrupt someone – as long as they were the ones doing the interrupting.

"No, it isn't. But we weren't pretending. I mean we were at first, but then… then we weren't. Roz and I – you might be surprised to hear this, but we dated for a while." David was silent and Niles knew he had shocked his son. Like David had said, Roz was like an aunt to him. With this one confession he had turned his life upside down. The boy would probably never look the same at her ever again.

"You dated Roz and mom at the same time?"

"Not exactly," Niles admitted, "I had feelings for both of them. So I do understand the emotional turmoil you're going through."

"How did you choose?" David's voice was barely above a whisper. He could pretend all he wanted; the situation wasn't easy for him. This was the first time he had to make an important decision and he was all on his own. Back then Niles hadn't been able to make a decision. How could a boy who was not yet a man?

"I knew it couldn't go on and so I followed my heart." This was the hardest part of the story, because Niles wasn't sure that David would understand it. Or forgive him for it.

"You chose mom." It wasn't even a question.

"I didn't," Niles couldn't look at his son, so he looked out the window. There was nothing there to see, nothing to distract him. His son wanted answers; and he deserved them. "I chose Roz. She made me- she made me happy at a time when I didn't think your mom and I had a chance. You see, over the years there had been so many moments. It seemed like it just wasn't meant to be."

"You chose Roz. So mom was your second choice."

"No, David. You don't understand. I was in love with Roz, I would never deny that. She was the first woman to show me what a relationship could be like. But she knew something I didn't. My love for your mother was so great-" Niles stopped, remembering. It had taken them a while to make amends. The first few months had been terrible; a death seemed to have occurred, but no one had left. They had all been buried under their own sorrows, yet they had been bound together. For eternity. Roz had stayed away from Nervosa, Niles had avoided Frasier's apartment. It had been a long, strenuous process, but they'd all made it through. Somehow.

"Roz just knew it. She knew your mother and I belonged together." The night of their wedding when Daphne had danced with each and every one of her brothers, she had smiled like a princess. But as happy as Niles had felt at that moment, he was aware of the pain on Roz' face. He had gone to her and just sat with her for a while. 'I should have never let you go,' she had eventually said. Niles hadn't known what to say. 'I did the right thing. I hardly ever do the right thing and when I do – why does it hurt so much?' That had been the only time they had talked about it. About six months later, Roz had met a wonderful guy named Sean. At her own wedding five years later, she had merely kissed his cheek and mumbled a 'thank you' into his ear.

"That never happened, did it? You just made up this story up to scare me?" Niles smiled at his son. How different his life would have been had he and Roz stayed together. He wouldn't be sitting there with his son. What would he decide? How would he change his future, pave his way? He could only watch from a distance. Hold his hand and stroke his back when everything was too much. When Roz and he were dating, they had made rules. Rules didn't work. In the end, the only thing that had saved them was following their hearts. Niles wished his son would come to that conclusion with as little heartbreak as possible.

"I would never lie about something like that." Niles said as he started the car again. David was quiet until they were home. Niles was about to get out when his son suddenly said:

"Dad, thank you for telling me. I always thought you and mom- I thought it was different. Less complicated, you know."

"Nothing is ever uncomplicated. Especially love. Love is the most complex thing there is."

"How do I – when you just told me about this I realized –" David sighed in frustration, because he couldn't find the right words. Niles waited patiently for his son to continue, "It's always been Lisa for me. I-I-I think I even love her." The boy blushed and Niles bit his lip hard. "I think Jenny was a sort of… a distraction." The word hit Niles like a slap, but he wouldn't let his son see it.

"I'm proud of you, David. No matter what you decide you know your mom and I will be there for you." The boy nodded.

"Can you – can you take me back?"

"Excuse me?"

"Can you take me back to Lisa's house? I need to tell her, dad. This is not something you do over the phone!"

"But we just – I thought I could – " But his son had a way of making him forget everything else. Just like his mother. He still remembered their courtship. It had started with a simple, accidental date. A smile here and there. Holding hands. Their complicated relationship and their fear of finally being together had almost hindered them once again. They had gone slow; so slow that this time neither would trip. And they had made it – finally. His heart suddenly filled with desperate love for the two people he loved most in the world. And the other woman. The woman who had taught him about love; the one who had made this gift possible. For as long as he lived, she would always possess a small fraction of his heart. And he was thankful.

**END**


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